SGDread Knights
by Lordheaven
Summary: SG-1/Farscape crossover:SG-1 has fallen. Mitchell and Vala leave SGC searching for the answer to the mystery that claimed the lives of their fallen teammates.
1. Departures

_**Disclaimer: The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**_

**Chapter 1 – Pilot**

**Departures**

The briefing room looked just the same it did all these years but now there was a terrible sense of loneliness, a sense that something was missing. Colonel Mitchell felt it. The team was not complete now, and it will never be. He looked to the room below where the ring shaped device stood – the Stargate.

He remembered when he first arrived. He stood near it, touching it and imaging what people were doing for living – every day going into a situation of life and death. But truthfully his mind was going back to all the men he lost in the battle with the forces of Anubis, and that that day he almost died as his F-302 was hit. Then he remembered SG-1 coming to visit him telling him everything will be alright, and there was General O'Neil, his hero. But he's gone now and so is the real SG-1. Who would have thought that one mission could change all that – no one.

Mitchell closed his eyes, shutting the urge to let the tears freely fall. He couldn't take this reality that was harsh as a bitch and unforgiving. They are gone now – Colonel Carter, Daniel Jackson, Teal'c and O'Neil – all. The briefing room is indeed very empty now and life's become harder than ever. They are all gone all but Vala. She is now his comfort, his wall, his tree where he could rest his pain and find a kind word.

"Colonel Mitchell."

Mitchell opened his eyes, turning into the direction of the voice. There stood Walter, dressed in the official attire.

"We are ready." – Walter informed then sighing added. "It's time."

Mitchell looked at him, pain crossing his chest. He imagined when Walter would come he wouldn't be able to move but he had to. With effort, Mitchell walked.

The ceremony was to be held on Dakara, the capital city of the Jaffa Nation. Master Bra'tac was going to officiate it. He knew Teal'c the best. They were together since the beginning, the beginning of all – the first years before SG-1, the long years preparing the demise of the Goa'uld with the help of SG-1, the fall of the Goa'uld, the coming of the ORI and their terror on the galaxy. He knew all of SG-1 – General O'Neil, who had saved his life more than once; Daniel Jackson, who had helped and saved his life and the life of countless Jaffa; Colonel Carter also had her share of saving the Jaffa and establishing more or less good relations with the Tok'ra, and ridding the galaxy of the Replicators.

Mitchell sighed deeply, feelings colliding in him like a deadly storm. They were all gone after all these jeopardizes, dangers and crazy missions, they've fallen in the one they never expected, the one that seemed the most harmless, like you say – a walk into the park but the one mission where all hell broke loose.

The gate was dialed. Symbol after symbol lit up until all seven were activated. The shining, watery, surface appeared, and as Carter would say – the event horizon of the wormhole. The delegation from Earth was ready – representatives from the I.O.A., the chiefs of staff, Walter, all SG teams, every woman and man on the base, General Landry and President Hayes. But they all waited for him.

"Colonel Mitchell." – President Hayes called.

He knew he had to pass first so to honor the memory of SG-1, after all he was its leader for the past six years. Mitchell straightened up his uniform and climbed the ramp. Reaching the event horizon he stopped. His hand gently touched it. How smooth its surface was making wonder what the Ancients first must have though and felt when it was firstly activated. It was a sensation like no other.

Mitchell closed his eyes and stepped forward but just enough so his face can just cross the threshold in half. He opened his eyes on the other side. In a second he saw the funnel of the wormhole, and then the physics took over, and his body followed. He was instantly disintegrated. Mere seconds later, he appeared on Dakara where the honorary escort of Jaffa stood with Master Bra'tac at the head.

"Colonel Mitchell." – Bra'tac greeted.

"Master Bra'tac." – Mitchell replied taking his hand in the Jaffa way.

"This way, please."

Mitchell followed Master Bra'tac on the path to the temple. Inside it, on an ornate table, stood a crown of laurels and the symbol of SG-1, as there were no bodies. Vala and he saw it all. They were engulfed into dark flames and only fumes remained where they had stood just a second before. On the ground, they only found a few cloth fragments, which suggested that someone had stood there. Mitchell closed his eyes again; he did not want to remember this horrid moment.

"Cam!" – A voice called forcing Mitchell's eyes to open. There stood Vala in her usual black attire, her hair gently following on her shoulders. She held a garland of yellow and green flowers, Mitchell did not bother wonder what were they exactly. Vala approached and hugged him. "Everything is going to be alright, "she gently added.

"Thank you!" – Mitchell squeezed those few words.

"I…" – Vala did not continue. Mitchell saw it, she simply couldn't. Tears were falling down her cheeks. He patted her on the back. All they had now was each other.

"I know." – Mitchell comforted her. "I know."

The delegation from Earth arrived shortly after. Soon they were joined by the Jaffa leaders, the Tok'ra, the Hak'tyl and commanders of the five Earth Battle Cruisers – Colonel Ellis of the Apollo, Colonel Caldwell of the Daedalus, Colonel Petra, recently promoted, of the Odyssey, Colonel Sheppard of the Excalibur and L. Colonel Lorne of the Achilles. Dr. McKay, Dr. Jennifer Keller, Teyla and Ronon have come also from Atlantis to attend the ceremony.

Master Bra'tac took position before the ornate table holding a lit torch. Two Jaffa priests placed four candles around the laurels.

"Dear friends," – Bra'tac began. "We gathered before the eternal flame to say farewell to our dearest friends, colleagues and allies – SG-1, and the horn will sound," the gentle but sad voice of the horn sang. "Their bravery, courage, support and love shall not be forgotten until the suns grow cold. They inspired us to be better than we were. They brought us hope. O'Neil of Minnesota, he was a wise and gracious leader that provided help to those that needed it. Dr. Daniel Jackson was a kind and gentle soul, seeking knowledge and enlightenment, reaching even beyond the planes to help others. Colonel Samantha Carter was a bright and intelligent woman that brought vision and hope, and…"

Mitchell's thoughts went back to the first time he met them all – Daniel Jackson, who was packing his affects, preparing to leave for Atlantis; Teal'c on Dakara while in session with the governing council of the Jaffa, trying to bring him back to SG-1; Samantha, who was in the research division making improvements to the newly provided by the Asgards hyperspace drive, trying to convince her back into duty, and General O'Neil who was telling him that he could have any assignment, and when he choose to be part of SG-1.

And then fate intervened, Vala came through the gate and a whole new adventure began – the arrival of the ORI. Two years they fought the ORI and with the help of Morgan LeFay, they finally defeated them by finding the ancient artifact – the Ark of Truth. The Ark was still in Area 51 where it has been studied ever since. After that, Samantha became leader of the Atlantis expedition. A year later, she returned, Teal'c came also, and the team was again complete. And then… then came this horrid mission.

Mitchell returned his focus back on the ceremony. Master Bra'tac had finished his appraisal of the many good things SG-1 had accomplished, and now every leader started giving his speech. It was great that so many were honoring them, the heroes of the galaxy.

Yeah, they were the heroes but on that day even heroes couldn't have done anything to prevent the terrible event. Mitchell tried to stay focused on the ceremony, not allowing his thoughts to dwell on that mission but he couldn't. He couldn't feel anything any more his senses were numbed. His world has fallen apart. They say it is part of the job but living with it is never easy. With time people's lives are lost but all loses are taken harder by those that are the closest. They are gone now. Why had they to die – why? He shot this question to the universe – why! And he had to find a new vocation, staying in the air force was no longer an option for him. He had to find the answer to his question – why did they die and for what. Who was responsible for their death – he had to do something.

They are gone and the world would never why. Why they sacrificed everything – for a better world, for the benefit humanity, for history – no one will ever know. For every countless hero that falls every day there is a purpose but some leave a mark, an imprint in history that is not easily forgotten. Mitchell, this time, let the tears run freely. Vala, standing beside him, put an arm around his shoulders. He embraced her. The final sound of the lonely horn was squeezed out and then silence fell, and before he had realized it, the ceremony was over, the good-byes given but life goes on. A new purpose in life must be found. And he did. The decision formed steadily in his mind. He knew what he had to do whatever the cost.

Vala left his side, and strode to meet General Landry. They shook hands in silence then Vala spoke.

"I can't stay. I have to leave."

General Landry said nothing just nodded, understanding completely.

"I'll be leaving too."

Hank Landry looked up surprised. "Colonel?"

"I'll be going with Vala, sir."

"But Colonel Mitchell, you can't."

"I have to, sir." – Mitchell said firmly though barely controlling his emotions.

"The SGC will take…"

"No, sir." – Mitchell firmly cut the general off. "The SGC is restricted in many ways. No, I'll do this my way, with no one over my head."

"Mitchell, you can't simply…"

"I've made my mind, sir." – Mitchell cut him off again. "I'm resigning from the air force. I'll handle you my resignation tomorrow, and then I'll be leaving with Vala."

"Hmm," – Landry sighed deeply, then ceded. "Very well, colonel, although, this will still have to be approved by the I.O.A." – Landry added quickly. "I will take care of that."

"Thank you, sir!" – Mitchell saluted then joined Vala. They had much work to do, much work. The answer to his question laid somewhere in the stars. He knew it or at least he thought so. Partnering with Vala was not ideal but she had a valuable knowledge of many worlds. She was going to be a useful ally.

Mitchell and Vala left for the gate and then back to the SGC. Vala went to gather all her belongings. She had now no reason to stay, as Mitchell was leaving with her. For a moment, she thought she had finally found a place where she belonged but fate was now saying otherwise.

Mitchell left the base, heading straight home to pack. He had no roots left on Earth, and it is painful to leave his home, his home planet but he had to do it. He had a new path now. He had to find how all this happened.

* * *

The next day, he appeared before General Landry, handling his resignation. Richard Woolsey, now commander of the Atlantis expedition, Colonel Sheppard, Dr. McKay and L. Colonel Lorne had come all the way from Pegasus and were part of the discharge contingent. Mitchell was touched by his discharge ceremony he had come not to expect.

They were all gathered before the ramp to the stargate. Vala was waiting for him dressed in her usual black attire and jacket, a dazzling smile on her face. Mitchell was also in black, the attire he used to wear when he posed as a bounty hunter.

"Colonel Mitchell," – General Landry began. "It is with great honor that I present you with the discharge papers."

He handed Mitchell the official documents then added. "Officially, you will not be part of the Earth military as you have chosen to pursue your goals alone, which saddens us deeply but we understand. The International Oversight Agency, however, would like to offer you the possibility to keep your rank."

Vala looked at Mitchell and nodded. Mitchell stepped forward and said. "It has been an honor serving, General. But I can not remain on Earth serving the Military I have to find my own path. Nonetheless, I will accept the gracious offer."

"Then we can all call this a good-bye ceremony where a friend is leaving to pursue the truth by all means necessary. As you know the Military can not support officially such an action but you do have the blessing of the I.O.A." – Mr. Coleridge of the I.O.A said.

"Thank you all, I really appreciate it."

"Colonel Mitchell, God speed." – General Landry said, shaking his hand.

"Thank you, sir!" – Mitchell said, saluting for the last time.

The hand shaking over, Mitchell and Vala climbed the ramp. Mitchell turned to the control room saying. "Dial it up, Walter."

"Colonel Mitchell," – Mr. Coleridge approached. "Master Bra'tac has procured for you and Mrs. Mal Doran a Tel'tak."

"Thank you."

"You just find the answer," – Coleridge said, smiling. "And report it back. If you need any help do not hesitate to contact us. We expect regular contact every month."

"We will try." – Vala replied.

The gate was dialed. Vala and Mitchell reached the event horizon, turned one last time around, then stepped through the gate. Few seconds later, they appeared on the Alpha Site. There, they were greeted by the command officer that escorted to the hangar where the Tel'tak was waiting for them.

"This is it, Cam." – Vala said. "There is no turning back now."

"I know." – Mitchell said.

"Alright, where to now?"

Mitchell inspected the ship, seeing it was provided with enough supplies to last at least four months. "First, we go to P4S – 619 where Jackson first found the references to the Colossus Project. And then we'll see."

Vala started the engines, the cargo ship lifted off. They soon reached orbit, and without delay it jumped into hyperspace thus beginning a whole in new adventure of pursuit of an answer to the mystery that claimed the lives of SG-1.

* * *

**And don't forget to review. It only takes a couple of minutes.** **Thank you!**

**Lordheaven**


	2. Recurring Memories

_**Disclaimer: The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**_

**Chapter 2 **

**Recurring Memories**

Planet Temonolous, or as numbered by the SGC P4S-619, was only two hundred light years away from Dakara. It had belonged in the past to a minor Goa'uld, named Tallic, the team had never encountered. It was there where Dr. Jackson discovered the Ancient tablets and began studying them. He deciphered a reference regarding a great project of the Ancients codenamed the **Colossus Project**. Dr. Jackson then found some stargate addresses that led the team to other planets where he found other clues pertaining information of the project when finally they reached their final destination where the horrible consequences took place.

Cam Mitchell and Vala reached P4S-619 just ten days ago, and began scouting the area where Jackson first found the tablets. Cam had a hunch they might have missed something more there the first time. The Ancients usually did not leave any manuals or tablets regarding secret or obscure projects of theirs. He hoped that there might a base or an outpost.

"Cam," – Vala had called. "How do you expect to decipher whatever we might find?"

Vala's question had been a valid one as Jackson was the resident expert on the Ancients.

"I've taken Jackson's notes." – Cam had responded. "I'll be taking the time to study them."

Vala had looked skeptically at him. "You, studying Ancient?"

"Yeah, I know how it sounds but someone has to besides there was mission report of a SG-1 mission where Teal'c and General O'Neil had to learn Ancient too." – Cam had countered.

"Yeah, I remember it had to do something with being stuck in a time loop, and we aren't."

"I know but what choice do we have if we are to solve this one?"

Vala had only nodded. She understood that they had no other choice.

They've spent on the planet now more than ten days snooping around like blood-hounds but found nothing. If there was something built by the Ancients then it was well hidden. It was in the last days, since they decided to spend just another four eight hours more, that they came across the something they were probably looking for. They found a temple of the Goa'uld – Tallic, and started exploring it.

"Vala," – Cam called. "I got something…I think."

Cam was examining the deepest basement chambers of the Goa'uld temple, which had also taken time to discover, with the scanners when they detected an even deeper chamber. Vala came to Cam at once.

"What do we have?"

"Look." – Cam showed her the readings.

"Great, but how are we going to reach it?" – Vala exclaimed.

"Ah, I'm not sure yet." – Cam hesitated. "But there must be a way. I doubt the Ancients would build something that can't be reached."

"Well, you never know." – Vala shrugged.

They started looking around for any sign or anything that could indicate the entrance to that chamber but found nothing.

"I say we call it a day." – Vala proposed after two hours of search. "And try tomorrow, we are both tired."

Cam just sighed.

"You want too much to happen at once, Cam."

"Maybe."

They returned to the Tel'tak, which they had landed just outside of the temple near a small forest. Vala lowered the canopy and entered.

"Wait!" – Cam had suddenly an idea.

"What?"

"Maybe, we could use the rings to go inside."

"It's too risky."

"How so? SG-1 did it on this planet with the fire, Proclarush."

"Yeah, but I doubt the structure here we survive the attempt. We can have the entire temple fall on us."

"Damn it!" – Cam exclaimed angrily.

"We'll find another way – tomorrow!"

Cam surrendered. He went to the back of the ship where they had made improvised beds and laid down. As soon he closed his eyes he fell asleep, and Orpheus took him in the dreamland.

* * *

The dream took Cam to the briefing room of the SGC where he was waiting for Jackson, who was as usual late, but the most important one, as he had to give the key notes.

"Where is he?" – Cam exclaimed.

"He said he would be here just in a minute." – Vala answered.

"Yeah, that was ten minutes ago." – Cam remarked.

Dr. Jackson appeared shortly after carrying as usual tons of old books, and a few maps.

"I'm sorry I'm late." – He said.

"No worry, we're about to take a coffee brake." – Cam said earning a smile on General Landry's face.

"Oh," – Jackson exclaimed. "Please do!"

"What have you got?"

"Well, as you all know on P4S-619, we found two Ancient tablets. I've deciphered them now."

"Yes that we know." – Vala interrupted impatiently. "Could you cut to the chase?"

"Well, I've been able to extrapolate some stargate addresses where the Ancients had made several outposts dealing with the Colossus Project. Apparently it was a huge brake through. It says on the tablets that an Ancient scientist, Devin, the father of the project, had made a device capable of scanning alternate realities…"

"You mean the one that sent you to an Earth that was almost conquered by Apophis?"

"Yes, that one." – Jackson confirmed. "We believed until now that the Ancients had nothing to do with it but apparently this was not the case. This was Devin's first step in the Colossus Project though and…"

"I'm sorry do we actually know what the Colossus Project is?" – Cam interrupted.

"Well, not exactly." – Jackson shook his head. "But what I've learnt so far leads me to believe that it has something to do with parallel realities."

"Then what's in it for us?" – The ever practical Vala asked.

"It's quite interesting as I came across a passage that mentions a stack of treasures, and as you remember during the campaign against Adria and her minions we were actually searching for Clavia Infinita."

"Yes, Daniel, I remember, thank you!" – Vala retorted given that it was a trap laid by Adria.

"Sorry, I forgot." – Daniel suddenly realized his mistake. "Yes, so, as I said I came across a passage mentioning Clavia Infinita and I have a gate address."

"Mission's approved." – General Landry said.

"Good job, Daniel." – Carter said while appearing from the General's office.

"Sam!" – Cam exclaimed. "Where were you? We were worried."

"Oh, you shouldn't have." – Carter smiled.

"How did it go?" – Jackson asked.

"As we expected, the wraiths definitely got our message and are not going to try anything that foolish again. " – Carter replied. "They know now their days are numbered."

"Great!"

"So, we are ready for another great adventure?" – Carter asked cheerfully.

"Oh, I hope not." – Landry exclaimed. "Just find the Ancient treasures without pissing something out."

Everyone had laughed at this comment but truth to be said every time they were to make a grand discovery they were falling in either finding a dreadful race or another disaster just waiting to happen, and it was not far from the truth.

"Alright, where to?" – Cam turned to Jackson.

"We are going to P9S-333. It is on the outer spirals of the galaxy, I think." – Jackson replied.

"Good, your geography skills are improving every day." – Cam added.

"There is always first time for everything." – Carter remarked.

The gate was dialed and the M.A.L.P. sent. The atmosphere was deemed stable to sustain humans. The team got ready to embark.

"Be careful and Godspeed." – General Landry wished from the control room.

"We'll be, sir." – Cam replied. "Alright, SG-1, let's move it."

They crossed the threshold and arrived shortly after on P9S-333. It was an odd little world. It had tropical trees in a snowy environment making one wonder how these trees would even survive the low temperatures.

"Jackson!" – Cam called. "Where to?"

"We go north." – Jackson replied looking at his notes.

"North, it is."

"Always Coca-Cola!" – Sam joked making the others chuckle too.

"Need a polar bear?" – Cam added.

"Maybe." – Sam replied suppressing a smile.

They walked till they reached the most curious building they've ever come across. By all means of physics this building could not possibly exist though. Imagine several cubes – one cube as a base, the next put on its outer left, the next crooked on the right over the second and so on.

Sam moved forward with her scanner but nothing revealed the mystery of the strangely standing cubes. It seemed as though they were held by magic.

"Well, as you said Sam, there is first time for everything." – Cam noticed.

"Actually, Cam, this is technically impossible." – Sam said while still scanning the odd building. "These buildings, physically, shouldn't be able to stand the way they do. It is simply impossible."

"And yet here they stand."

"Yeah."

"Hey guys, I think I found the entrance." – Jackson called from the eastern side of the odd buildings.

"Daniel, be careful." – Sam cautioned. "We don't know if it has defenses."

"It doesn't." – Jackson said. "I've already checked."

"It is safe." – Vala said popping her head out of the door, which apparently already had ventured. "It's unbelievable inside here."

The others followed in, Sam and Cam, as usual, very carefully. You never know when a trap would spring so it's best not to enter unprepared.

The inside of the building was just as crazy as the outside. Every single object was standing in an abnormal way. There were a few consoles on the ceiling in an upright position as though its users had to have the ability to defy gravity at will. There were a few on each of the walls, and hopefully some where they were supposed to be on the ground.

Sam went to examine those that were accessible, on the ground. But they were all written in a language unknown to them.

"We have a problem." – Sam announced. "This is not ancient, is it Daniel?"

"No, I'm afraid not." – Jackson shook his head while examining the symbols on the console.

"Let me see." – Cam came closer. "You never know it could be like the ones in the cave."

"Oh, no thank you!" – Jackson exclaimed. "We have no need of another ORI invasion."

"I thought you've accepted the blame for that one." – Vala teased.

"Very funny." – Jackson snapped.

Vala did not bother answering back. She had just spotted something very interesting. She had spotted a symbol, one which she recognizes all the time.

"Daniel," – She called. "Come see this."

"Not now, I'm busy." – Jackson replied.

"This one is more important than those there." – Vala insisted.

"Oh, what is it?" – Jackson shot frustrated.

"Look." – Vala gestured towards a symbol on one of the console on the wall. The symbol was the one that seemed to be universal for all – the symbol of infinity.

"This is interesting." – Jackson exclaimed. The others joined him.

"See…told you." – Vala smiled victoriously.

"Good, now what?" – Cam asked.

"Now, we are looking for a symbol that resembles a key or a chest." – Jackson answered.

"Alright, spread and look." – Cam commanded.

Cam just went under the consoles on the ceiling where he started staring. He thought best to take his binoculars out and look at those that were higher above. Teal'c joined him.

"Colonel Mitchell," – Teal'c said suddenly, and pointed. "There!"

"Where?"

"There."

"Oh, I see it. Jackson"

Jackson came to them and looked in the pointed direction. He noticed the symbol at once but reaching that symbol would seem impossible unless they were missing something. Sam, however found an alternative way of reaching it, actually it was the shoot first way. She took out her Zat gun and shot the console.

"Sam, no!"

Jackson cried but it was too late. The floor under their feet shook violently.

* * *

Someone shouted, "NO", and Cam fell off the bed. He opened his eyes and saw the very distressed Vala over him. Cam blinked and realized he was in the Tel'tak. The dream so vividly reminded him of the first mission on P9S-333.

"Cam, are you alright?" – Vala asked still distressed. Cam only nodded. "I heard you scream. Bad dream?"

"You can call it that way." – Cam swallowed.

"It'll pass." – Vala comforted him.

"I was dreaming about the mission on P9S-333 where Sam shot the…"

"The ceiling console, I know, I remember."

"And then I fell of the bed." – Cam added, now, with a smile.

"Oh." – Vala chuckled. "Go back to sleep, it's still dark."

Cam woke up and looked around. The morning was dim. Heavy, dark clouds covered the skies. He moved to the cockpit of the Tel'tak. Vala was not there. Cam then went to the cargo bay to fetch something to eat. Today was leaving day unless they find a way inside that deep chamber. Cam sighed. There was simply no way in just like on P9S-333.

Suddenly Cam was hit by a thunderbolt idea, yes, just like P9S-333. He left the Tel'tak and headed to the basement of the Goa'uld temple. There for his surprise he found Vala. She had illuminated the entire basement and was sweeping the walls one by one.

"Hey." – Cam called. Vala turned around.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty." – Vala teased.

"What are you doing?"

"I had an idea." – Vala replied. "It came to me after your nightmare."

"Me too."

"It seems we start thinking alike," – Vala said then added, "Which is very disturbing."

Cam looked offended. "Very funny,"

"Just kidding," – Vala added quickly. "Come, see here."

Cam came quickly. On the wall, he noticed a vaguely distinguishable symbol, the symbol of infinity. Next to it, there was another symbol. That symbol or a drawing of sorts resembled, possibly, a ship unlike anything they've ever come across. It had a distinct body like a whale and two outer spirals beginning from the middle of the ship and joining on the tail like two arms or legs.

"What do you make of this?" – Cam asked Vala regarding the odd drawing.

"I don't know, maybe a ship of some kind." – Vala replied, still examining it.

"There's another drawing just next to it." – Cam said while grating the wall to better distinguish the drawing. "It looks like a, like a," – Cam shrugged, "Like a shuttle, perhaps."

"Let me see." – Vala moved beside him. She took out her flashlight and concentrated the light on it. "Yeah, it is definitely a shuttle, like the ones on Earth."

"Oh, no," – Cam shook his head. "Our shuttles don't look like this, although it is very close." – Cam looked at it again, "No, definitely not, I've seen many designs but this isn't one of them."

"Hmm," – Vala mumbled. "But only Earthlings make ships with this kind of design."

Cam looked at her, depicting a face of total offense.

"Well, look at the span of its wings, only you design shuttles in this fashion." – Vala insisted. "Look how a Goa'uld cargo ship or a shuttle looks like and how does an Earth one…"

Cam had to admit that Vala had a point although he could swear he had never seen an Earth shuttle resemble anything like that drawing on the wall. The shuttle on the drawing looked smaller than the usual NASA design for space mission's shuttles but it was difficult to tell. This one looked more like a ship for two or three passengers but the span and the curve of the wings were quite interesting.

"Cam," – Vala called. "I found it."

"Found what?" – Cam asked cautiously.

"The symbol of the key." – Vala replied victoriously.

"Don't press it, yet." – Cam said heading towards her. "We have to see if there are other symbols."

"Yeah," – Vala said approvingly. "I agree."

They started grating the walls more vigorously than before. Soon, they discovered exactly eight symbols for each of the two – infinity and a key.

"Do you remember the order?" – Vala asked.

"I think so." – Cam replied.

"Think so?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Cam closed his eyes. His mind took him back on P9S-333 where after the fiasco with Zat gun, Jackson had figured out the order in which the symbols had to be pressed, and they tried again. This time, they had used long sticks of wood to press on the symbols, which were not accessible by hand simply because they were too high. The sequence was completed and a distortion had appeared in the middle of the cube's room, which led the team to another place where they discovered the next portion of clues.

Cam now remembered the exact order. He and Vala started pressing the symbols. As the last symbol was pressed, they all became lit up. The walls of the temple started to shake, and thud sound was rising. Clouds of dust and falling storm of small stones indicated that a doorway or something somewhere was opening. Suddenly, both Cam and Vala sensed that the floor was the something opening. They tried to reach the stairs but it was too late. The floor opened briskly, the lights faded and they fell…

* * *

**And don't forget to review. It only takes a couple of minutes.** **Thank you!**

**Lordheaven**


	3. The Farscape Module

_**Disclaimer: The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**_

**Chapter 3**

**The Farscape Module**

_Previously on SG-Dread Knights:_

_The walls of the temple started to shake, and thud sound was rising. Clouds of dust and falling storm of small stones indicated that a doorway or something somewhere was opening. Suddenly, both Cam and Vala sensed that the floor was the something opening. They tried to reach the stairs but it was too late. The floor opened briskly, the lights faded and they fell…_

_And now:_

Vala gradually regained consciousness. She coughed; her mouth was full of tiny, little dust, probably of the floor that opened briskly. She sat up and looked around her. There was not much to see as it was almost pitch black. She reached for her flashlight. Hopefully it had survived the fall.

The flash gave some light to the immediate environment but Vala directed it upwards. She managed to see the opening and gasped. They must have fallen at least twenty feet. She felt everything in her body hurt but hopefully she found out she could move, meaning so far nothing was broken.

"Cam." – She called, remembering she wasn't alone but there was no response. She got up slowly on her feet, dusting herself up. She rummaged through her pockets looking for the signal flare. As she got hand of it, she hit it. The brisk light of the flare illuminated several feet, making her gasp loudly.

She was in a vast cave chamber. "It didn't seem that big on the scanners," she thought. Vala located soon niches where there were braziers. She lit them up and they illuminated the cave. The walls were covered in drawings, some stranger than usual for a Goa'uld temple. There were some symbols she has never seen before, possibly in another language, previously unknown. But the drawings were not the most stunning site. It was the fifteen feet white craft parked in the middle of the cave.

The craft was obviously designed for two people. It had the same nose and almost design as an Earth shuttle, the ones of NASA, but somehow different. It also had some unknown attributes near the nose.

Vala moved to take a closer look. She had always been fascinated by any kind of crafts. When she was younger and still a con artist she enjoyed such new toys. She also enjoyed pocking inside them just to find out what makes them tick.

The inside of the craft was definitely Earth technology but the engine – that was a different story. Although it had some Earthling elements it was modified by some alien technology. As she continued to pock around it, she discovered that its propulsion system was also different. It resembled curiously enough the impulse system of the Goa'uld as a whole but looked much more advanced.

And then there was the odd attribute near the nose. Its purpose was not obvious but it was linked to the cockpit systems. Vala opened the craft's hatch and climbed in. She started pressing buttons; the craft's internal lights came to life.

"Cool!" – Vala exclaimed with the look that was clearly saying kid and candy.

* * *

Cam regained consciousness. He managed to remove the rubble of tiny stones off him and get up slowly. His eyes, ears and mouth were full of thin dust like after what happens after a sand storm. He cleaned himself up and looked around for the first time.

He was standing on a platform of a dimly lit hall or more likely a hangar. On the other side of his position, Cam saw two crafts unlike anything he's ever seen but quickly guessed their purpose – interceptors or fighters, or maybe both. They had pointy noses, jet black, and the wing span of approximately eight feet. The cockpit had enough place for two pilots. They also had a sting on each wing, which were possibly weapon's extensions.

Cam made his way to the crafts. He ran his hand through the nose as he used to do with the fighters on Earth, sort of lucky charm every time before flight. The "skin" of the crafts was surprisingly smooth, as though untouched by corrosion or time.

Cam looked for the mechanism that would open the hatch and soon found it or so he hoped. He pressed. The hatch of the craft opened silently. Cam peeked inside. The inside barely resembled an Earth interceptor but different and everything was in language he could not make out at all. Hopefully all crafts of this type resembled each other so it was not difficult for him to guess what was what. He climbed in and activated the internal light, which for his surprise did come to life.

He started pressing more buttons and as it happened he accidentally activated an active log.

"_D'Argo son of Crichton, Molalla and I barely managed to escape the dreadnought before we were propelled into the wormhole. We emerged on the other side where we crash landed on some unknown planet. We are trying to make repairs but it's unlikely we'll make it… We are still processing the information we got….the Scarrens have allied themselves with a race called Wraith, which are even more vicious and way more dangerous. They had come through another wormhole, as far as we learnt or at least these are the rumors….Stalleek tried to follow us but failed… _

_Last Entry, on the far end of the ridges, we located a settlement. We hope we could get help there. Father, Mother, if you receive this message, do not come for us. We'll find a way back somehow. Love, your true little D, Molalla also sends her greet…."_

The log ended leaving Cam extremely confused and baffled but mostly disturbed. He, of course, has never heard of a race named Scarrens but he has heard of the Wraith. But this was highly unlikely since the Wraith inhabited the Pegasus Galaxy only. Then again nothing was suggesting this log referred specifically to their wraiths or to their part of the universe. It could easily be meant for another galaxy. But taking such a chance was equal also to making a big mistake. He knew that quite well.

Cam exited the craft and entered into the other one hoping he would find another log entry. There wasn't one. Cam was a bit frustrated but he had made a fine find. He had to tell Vala. Vala, he suddenly remembered, he was with her when the gates of hell opened and swallowed them. He reached for his communicator.

"Vala, come in," – He called, "Vala, come in."

But there was only static noise. Nothing, no response and yet they fell together. She couldn't be that far. As he was to leave the immediate area to look for her, he heard a voice coming from one of the crafts. He quickly headed back.

"Cam, are you there?" – It was Vala's voice. "Cam, come in…"

"I'm here." – Cam said still panting. "I'm here. You wouldn't believe what I found."

"Sounds exciting, I also made a cool find."

"Ah, how are you reaching me?"

"I'm using the com system of a craft I found." – Vala replied. "The one on the drawing that we found in the basement, remember?"

"What?" – Cam exclaimed surprised. "You're kidding right?"

"No." – Vala's enthusiastic reply came. "I also found that this craft was not the only one in the vicinity so I tried to establish contact and get your attention if you were there, which obviously you are."

"Good! You're right. There are two more. On one of them, there is an active log. It's fascinating and quite disturbing in the same time." – Cam informed. "Also it would be great if we could take the crafts on the surface, they look quite alien…"

"I know." – Vala cut him off. "This one that looks remarkably like your Earth space shuttles is full of unknown technology and has some devices I'm not really sure of their purpose. I would love to spend more time to figure them out."

"Very well, but first we have to figure a way out of here." – Cam agreed.

"Oh, that's easy."

"It is?"

"Yeah, we'll blast our way through and…"

"No," – Cam cut her off this time. "You want to have the entire temple fall on our heads? There must be another way out. I mean after all these crafts got in somehow."

"True." – Vala said. "But the Goa'uld could have easily built the temple around this place with no access to it then the one we fell through."

"I don't think so." – Cam disagreed. "You and I, obviously, dropped in different places, although we fell in the same hole."

"Good point." – Vala admitted then added. "Which leaves us the question how to get to each other?"

"Ah," – Cam exclaimed. "I'm not really sure how to…by the way where are you?"

"I don't know but I'll guess not very far away."

"Good one!" – Cam said. "But it doesn't help much."

"I know." – Vala said. "Let me think."

"Let you…what?"

"Ha, very funny, Cam."

"Do you think…you could make these birds fly?" – Cam inquired.

"Possibly, curiously enough the propulsion system is very similar to the Goa'uld one." – Vala replied.

"You're joking, right?" – Cam exclaimed surprised.

"No, I'm serious." – Vala said.

"So…what…you are saying that the shuttle's technology served the Goa'uld on building theirs?" – Cam asked with total disbelief.

"I know it sounds crazy but it is very similar. Besides, who knows when this craft crashed here…," – Vala said. "Imagine that it did several thousands of years ago. After all, the Goa'uld are scavengers of others' technology."

"Good point," – Cam agreed.

"And also that would explain why human technology is so compatible to Goa'uld technology." – Vala continued.

"This is a bit of a leap, don't you think?" – Cam said.

"Yeah, it is." – Vala admitted chuckling. "I'll see if I get at least this one up and running."

"Good, I'll try to find a way out, of wherever we are."

"What about finding me first?"

"When you start the engines of the shuttle, I'll follow the noise. We can't be that far from each other." – Cam concluded.

"Great idea." – Vala said mockingly but started immediately working on powering up the engines.

* * *

Cam left the cockpit of the black craft and began exploiting the hangar. It wasn't that big. Actually, it remarkably reminded him of the subterranean and mountain hangars they've been using on the Alpha site. So if this was to be a subterranean hangar there must be a mechanism to make an opening or lift the hangar to a higher level.

Cam searched the corners of the hangar hoping to find a lever or something that could elevate the platform on which were the crafts but found none. He began to suspect that Vala might be correct in her assessment but then again he thought against it. After all they did reach this place through the basement of the Goa'uld temple who had built in the same opening code as the crazy cube building they found on P9S-333.

A sudden revelation hit Cam, P9S-333 – that place wasn't built by the Goa'uld or the Ancients, so how would this Goa'uld know how to duplicate the idea, or even a crazier thought crossed his mind, what if this temple did not belong to a Goa'uld at first… Cam remembered the log of the craft. He definitely recalled one of the names used in there – Stalleek. It had an unusual ring to the Goa'uld's name Tallic. Could it be the same person? There was definitely a resemblance.

But the cube building, as the science teams uncovered later, was almost several million years older than the know time around which the Ancients came to our galaxy. And it is highly unlikely that the temple here is more than a few thousand years old. Cam sighed. This intellectual and analytical stuff was not really his forte. Too many questions often arise even more questions to which only Jackson is best suited to try and find the answer. He on the other hand was more of the action type than of the thinking one. But since the fall of his teammates he had started to think or at least trying to reason like they did.

Cam shook his head. He had to banish those thoughts reminding him so often of his fallen friends so he could concentrate on the task ahead – finding a way out. His course of thoughts was cut off again by Vala.

"Cam, I had an idea."

"Shoot."

"You know we are still breathing…"

"What?" – Cam exclaimed perplexed.

"We still have air to breath. If this area was sealed the air would be still so it must get refreshed from somewhere. So, if you follow the air current that would probably lead up to the surface." – Vala explained.

"Good point." – Cam admitted impressed once more by Vala's logical reasoning. "Why didn't I think of it?"

"Good question." – Vala teased.

Cam did not bother to answer to this sharp comment. He stood still trying to determine the flow of air. His neck started getting cold after a while. He turned around to examine the walls. He soon found a crack but this couldn't be it. He used the back of his flash light to determine how much of the wall was hollow. He determined that it was big enough for the black craft to pass through. It must be some kind of chute.

Cam wanted to find a way to make it open instead of simply cracking the wall otherwise he could spend the entire day beating the crap out of the wall. Unfortunately he found nothing. It was as though this hangar was completely isolated. Hopefully, somehow it happened. The wall trembled and the chute was revealed. It led straight up.

Cam sighed relieved until something touched him creepily on the shoulder. Instinctively he jumped off scared – I mean who wouldn't. Turning around he faced the doubling with laughter Vala.

"You scared the hell out of me." – Cam shot quite offended. "Why didn't you say…?"

"I just wanted to see your reaction." – Vala said with difficulty still laughing hard.

"Very funny," – Cam retorted. "How did you find me?"

"Well," – Vala gasped for air then continued. "Well, first of all, you were making such a noise beating the wall so the sound reached me, and I followed. I found a path exiting the cave I was in. It led me by a furrow to that point over there," – She pointed then added, "And then I located the opening mechanism, just here behind that ledge, and then I slipped in while you weren't looking."

"Impressive but don't do this again." – Cam said.

"Sure." – Vala nodded, which Cam interpreted as "I will for sure do it again."

"Show me the shuttle." – Cam said.

"No, I want to see the crafts first." – Vala insisted.

"Over there." – Cam pointed.

"Wow!" – Vala exclaimed excited. She headed to them while Cam climbed out following the chute up to where he could, as it soon became quite steep for him to continue. But it definitely led up towards the surface. After all, it seemed that the builder wasn't that stupid, which also made Cam wonder if these crafts would really fly. They were stuck here for probably several thousand years.

"Can you make them fly?" – Cam asked when he returned to Vala.

"Oh, absolutely," – Vala replied with confidence. "It will just take some time."

"Well, time is something we have in abundance."

"Not so really," – Vala contradicted him.

"Why not?" – Cam raised an eyebrow.

"We haven't eaten since when?"

"Oh, right." – Cam admitted.

* * *

In just two hours, Vala managed to get the black crafts into the air. She seemed so happy. Cam was truly surprised that after all this time those craft still had the necessary energy needed to fly. Vala flew off with the first craft straight up the chute.

Cam had to wait another hour or so before Vala reappeared. She had to come down the same they got in – through the basement floor, which was not the ideal way of getting back but since they haven't found another way in it seemed the only one.

"Where did you park it?" – Cam inquired.

"Where do you think?" – Vala said while dusting herself up after the fall.

"Oh, sorry," – Cam realized he should be helping Vala to get up first than getting straight to the point, "Here you go."

"Thanks," – Vala said. "The craft is near the Tel'tak."

"How was it?" – Cam asked interested.

"Amazing," – Vala replied with delight. "It's much easier to fly than a Death Glider but it is much faster and maneuverable. It's a real delight."

"Good, now I think it would be best if you showed the shuttle!"

"I agree." – Vala nodded. "We should take both crafts but first it would be prudent if we study the drawings."

"Drawings – what drawings?" – Cam asked.

"The ones, I found in the cave where the shuttle is."

"Why?"

"They tell the history of this place. And…"

"And we should study them before taking off with the birds otherwise we'll be stranded again…"

"Good, you get it," – Vala smiled. "Finally."

"Let's go then." – Cam said gesturing Vala, "Lead the way."

Vala shook her head, "Is it that difficult to find the way?" She took lead. They followed the furrow till they reached the cave. It was bigger than the one in which Cam had fallen the first time. But parked in the middle was the beauty all in white with some black on the nose.

The shuttle had some markings as Cam noticed when he approached. He distinctly recognized the symbol of NASA. The craft looked like a small version of a real shuttle. Its wings were twisted upwards. But the whole of the craft or should we say module seemed to be much more aerodynamic than anything Cam has ever come across. Cam circled around looking at it amazed by its smoothness and elegancy.

"Cam, come and look at this." - Vala called.

Cam came at once. He looked at the particular drawings Vala was showing him. He clearly saw a wormhole then two crafts emerging from it. Then the crafts crashed on the planet where the two humanoid pilots apparently made contact with the locals, at least it looked that way. The two pilots then seemed to have spent the rest of their lives on the planet as respected leaders. But curiously enough, there was no Goa'uld depicted so far.

The drawings then changed. They showed another wormhole and the shuttle coming out of it. It obviously landed but what happened to the crew of the craft was not clear. And then the drawings showed some grand cataclysm, and the skies opened, possibly another wormhole, and a great ship emerged taking the pilots (of the shuttle) away.

It was then when they found a reference to the Goa'uld Tallic. He came from the sky and found the crafts. He studied them then built his temple around their crash site and ruled the world ever since. The drawings ended with some strange symbols, one of which resembled the markings on the shuttle.

Cam returned to the shuttled and looked carefully. The markings were almost worn off but then he gaped. He could clearly see it now.

"Vala!" – Cam called.

Vala came to him. She looked at where Cam was pointing and clearly saw it. The letters were shabby but readable – NASA – FARSCAPE.

* * *

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**Lordheaven**


	4. Lord Protectorate Part 1 Starlight

_**Disclaimer: The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**_

**Chapter 4**

**Lord Protectorate**

**Part One – Starlight**

Four months after the mission on P4S-619, Cam and Vala settled onto a remote planet, P1F-519, on the outskirts of our galaxy. They had to acquire an Al'Kesh in order to transport their finding – the two jet black crafts and the shuttle. This planet also happened to be one of the planets on the list, set by Dr. Jackson, to visit regarding the Ancient project Colossus.

Unfortunately or hopefully fortunately, this planet did not have a gate. Last time they had to use the Odyssey in order to reach it. For what reason this planet had no gate was unclear. Dr. Jackson, of course, speculated that at some point it had a gate, because it was part of his list, nonetheless the gate had been removed but the reasons for this could be a great too many, as Colonel Carter had reasoned.

Vala and Cam had managed to set a living camp on the southern hemisphere of the planet, which was the only part that was more or less inhabitable. The rest was either too hot or too cold. They had found a very nice cave, which they had to enlarge a bit so they could fit in the three crafts. It was exhausting work but it was worth protecting this extraordinary find. Building then a baffle took considerable time but they managed.

Vala was now alone on the planet as Cam had gone to acquire some parts and supplies on a nearby planet. She was studying with great interest the interceptors, as they had to call them. These crafts were amazing. Vala was able to determine, by of course testing them that they have as great maneuverability in atmospheric conditions as they do in space.

They were very easy to operate, for a skillful pilot of course, which she was. The precision of the weaponry was astounding, actually much more precise than a Death Glider or X-302. She also found that the crafts have an almost maximum sublight speed, which none of the gliders or X-302s and even the X-303 can do.

The shuttle, the Farscape module, on the other hand, was also an amazing piece of craft. Navigating the craft was very easy, at least for Cam who was more familiar with those types of crafts. Its smooth design was probably made for slingshot maneuvers, which could increase the speed of this craft to greater speed. Vala also determined that the module's proper speed had been substantially boosted due to the modified engine, the FTL drive, as she came to call it, which made the module almost equal to the interceptors with the difference that it had no weapons.

But the technology involved behind these modifications was simply amazing and there was no reference to it whatsoever. Vala had never come across anything remotely like it. At first, she had suspected that the propulsion system was close to the Goa'uld one but with time she had come to change her mind. Anything unknown could at first seem similar to what you're used to, so naturally she had assumed it was similar but now she knew that wasn't exactly so. This did not impede her however of finding out how it worked though.

One of the few things she had not been able to determine was the odd attribute on the nose of the shuttle. She was only able to determine it could provide shielding but for what purpose she still had no clue.

* * *

Cam returned with full load of supplies and parts to fix the shuttle and the interceptors. Vala started working immediately.

"Cam, I found something interesting." – Vala said after a while.

"What?"

"It's about the Farscape module. Come!" – Vala answered. Cam followed her. She pointed at the sign where it was reading NASA – Farscape.

"So?" – Cam raised an eyebrow. "We already know it says NASA…"

"Yes, yes, but no actually," – Vala interrupted. "The N is turned sideways. Actually, if you look carefully it'd notice that it reads as an I."

Cam came closer and took a more concentrated look. And indeed Vala was right. It should read IASA not NASA. But then raised the question why someone would bother to falsify the insignia.

"But why?" – Cam said aloud.

"Why what?" – Vala asked.

"Why would someone make it look like NASA, this is what I don't understand."

"What's the difference?"

"NASA reads as National Aeronautics and Space Administration as IASA reads as International Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA is basically the American space agency while the other is made of the rest of the world most notably Europe." – Cam explained.

"But these crafts have lain buried for thousands of years!"

"Yes, that's why it's so confusing." – Cam said thoughtfully. "Why cover the truth?"

"There could be many reasons or simple coincidence."

"Doubtful." – Cam shook his head. "And also why built the temple around the crafts?"

"I'm not following you here." – Vala looked at Cam perplexed.

"The temple was built around the shafts where the crafts were. If someone had studied their technology – the Goa'uld, it would seem logical that he would put them apart, no?"

"Yeah, probably."

"So why then they are untouched?"

"I don't know." – Vala said. "Maybe we should take a better look at the temple."

"Hugh?"

"The Goa'uld are scavengers. They only take they don't make."

"Good point, we should definitely take another look." – Cam agreed.

"But after we finish repairing them." – Vala said. "Farscape will need your expertise. I can handle the interceptors."

"Sure!"

* * *

And they started working hard on repairing and replacing the faulty parts on all crafts to the best of their abilities but it took them more than a week. The interceptors were finally ready so Vala took one of them for a spin on the block, and Cam came along.

Cam was impressed by the maneuverability of the craft, the precision of the instruments aboard but most of all its speed. It seemed that Vala was not exaggerating. The craft had also inertial dampeners so when Cam pulled the craft straight up he barely felt it.

During the flight Vala was sticking closely to Cam. It seemed that those interceptors were made for close and distant combat. The pleasure of flying them was simply intoxicating.

As they were flying they were passing over the northern territories of the southern hemisphere when Cam caught a glimpse of a set of buildings. He blinked twice.

"What the…?" – Cam said to himself. He turned the interceptor around for another pass.

Vala noticed his behavior. "Cam, what's up?"

"I'm not really sure."

"About?"

"I thought I saw a few buildings on the northern ridges."

"Well, did or did you not?"

"As I said, I'm not really sure, descending to two thousand feet. I'm going to take a closer look." – Cam replied.

Cam's interceptor dived in and Vala followed though she was not sure why, although knowledge was important. They thought they were alone on this planet. This may seem to have changed.

This time, it was certain. Cam had seen absolutely correctly. Down, there were buildings. The sensors did not pick up any life signs but it was worth checking out.

"Vala, we are going down to check them out." – Cam said over the radio.

"I agree." – Vala responded.

The interceptors dived and with beautiful, quick turns reached the ground. They landed before the entrance of the village, as it seems it was, of course, all in ruins. But the architecture was definitely suggesting Ancient design, which was curious, because when they first came to this planet, according to his research Dr. Jackson had said that the place they had visited was the only one made by the Ancients. It was apparent they had missed something.

"Cam, it is definitely made by the Ancients." – Vala observed.

"I noticed." – Cam agreed. "It would seem Jackson was wrong."

"Not necessarily." – Vala said knowingly. Cam looked questioningly at her. "It could be a diversion."

"Which one?" – Cam asked. "This village or the one we visited with Jackson?"

"Well, I don't know but if you wanted to protect something you would not put it in the obvious place. Besides, this village became visible to us only by flight. As you saw from above it's surrounded by sharp hills thus getting here must be quite difficult on foot." – Vala reasoned.

"It's possible." – Cam agreed. "Let's take a look around."

"You mean – split up."

"Yeah. Keep radio contact."

* * *

They separated. The village was not that big but it had many buildings built close one to the other. Curiously enough, there was something familiar about this village. Cam wished he'd paid much more attention to history, because the position of this village, or at least something in it was very familiar to him although for the moment he had no idea what it was.

It seemed that at some point the village might have been surrounded by heavy, high walls against attacks or floods. But there was also something odd. This village looked like some time ago it had had a port. It was possible a river was passing by though it was not really visible where.

Vala was exploring the village square where she located remains of a statue. At the foot of the statue something was written but it was not Ancient, which was confusing. She called for Cam to have a look.

"I knew it." – Cam exclaimed but seeing Vala's obvious question shrugged. "I don't know but there is something familiar about the configuration of this village. I'm not really sure what exactly, yet."

Cam observed the letters and they definitely looked like ancient Greek. Hopefully, Cam had taken Jackson's books and notes so he might be able to decipher them, if of course he could first clear them up enough. Cam was usually not a very patient man in such matters and neither was Vala but this time he used the time to slowly clear it up.

Vala took an interceptor back to their Bat Cave, as Cam had officially dubbed it, to take Jackson's notes and bring some food. It seemed they would be staying here for the night trying to decipher the letters.

Cam used the time to have a look around. The buildings were indeed very close one to the other so it did suggest that its purpose might not be as obvious. But the style of the Ancients was in riddles and cryptic messages not confusing building style, which was exactly what concerned Cam. Vala might be right – it was protecting something – but what was the question.

Maybe whatever it was could be visible by air – again, so Cam took the interceptor back to the air. As he was lifting off he noticed something. At the front gates of the village, on each of the sides, there were two block like pedestals, just slightly above the city gates. They were all covered with vegetation so being down it was not so visible. Cam hovered so he could have a better look.

The blocks appeared to be rectangular, at least twenty meter high and fifteen wide. They were placed just, slightly above the main city gates. Cam took his craft a bit higher. This village definitely had a port once. From his altitude, it became much clearer, although it was still a speculation. There could be a hundred reasons why the villagers might have left an oval horseshoe sized space between the gates and the town square. If he wanted to prove his theory he had to go back down and remove all the vegetation that has swarmed every meter of the village.

Cam landed back and started his work. "Let's find out what you are," – Cam told himself.

Removing all the vegetation was hard work but Cam was determined though he was not sure exactly why. He was cutting, and cutting, and cutting, removing piece by piece. Vala returned at some point with enough food, as Cam noticed, for a week of stake outs. She started helping him out.

* * *

It took them nearly two full days to clear up the front of the village. The hardest part was the vegetation around the city gates as it was the thickest.

"Why are we doing this again?" – Vala asked as she sat exhausted.

"There is something familiar about this village." – Cam answered.

"Aha, I thought you might pull this one up, again." – She groaned, rubbing her hands and feet.

"Yeah, I had to and…" – Cam stopped in the middle of his sentence. The day has reached noon and the sun was now exactly, directly in front of the gates.

"What?" – Vala asked and turning around saw something beginning from the walls straight to the gates when she no longer needed to speak as she as well as Cam gaped.

"W…wow!" – Cam could let go only this exclamation.

The city walls believe it or not were all engulfed by fire. But the fire did not stop there. No, the fire grew. Soon, it reached the gates, and as it reached them, started to grow in altitude until it filled the pedestals. At this point, Vala and Cam saw the form of a man that stood astraddle, each foot on the pedestals. The form of the man was enormous, at least ninety meters high. He was holding, at head's level, a torch in his left hand. Well, they were seeing his back but still it was an impressive sight.

"Rhodes Island!" – Cam spoke finally still shaken.

"What?" – Vala asked not understanding.

"Back on Earth, there was an island, the island of Rhodes, where the ancient Greeks have built a statue at the gates, a lord protectorate, if you wish that supposedly was the guardian of the city. But the statue was never found, only few fragments that suggested its existence. "

"Wow, Cam, I'm impressed of your knowledge. I didn't know you had the time to read Daniel's…"

"No, this is history. One of the few lessons, I've actually paid attention to in class. I have always tried to imagine it. But you can never be prepared for the real thing." – Cam explained.

"So this statue, this guardian is protecting the village…"

"He's not only protecting it." – Cam said. "He's supposed to guide ships deep into sea. And…" – Cam did not finish again as the torch of the figure lit up. But it had a most unusual light. Actually, it did look familiar. It was not exactly light; it looked to both of them very familiar. It had somewhat of starlight shape so to speak.

"What the…?" – Vala exclaimed then an idea came to her. "Cam, it looks like a…like a wormhole."

This revelation was a correct one. The starlight was swirling depicting clearly a wormhole. Inside, strange shapes were forming but they were too far away to tell exactly so Vala took a unilateral decision, and jumped quickly to her feet, heading straight to her interceptor.

"Vala, where are you going?" – Cam shouted after her but she was not listening. She had a thunderbolt revelation. Her craft lift off. She hovered at the point of the torch. "Vala, come back down. It could be dangerous." – Cam said using his communicator.

"It's a gate address." – Vala responded.

"What?"

"A gate address, it's a gate address." – Vala replied excitedly.

The starlight suddenly become much more intense and Vala moved away as it became almost blinding. Hopefully, she had put the craft on autopilot landing. Cam hurried towards her. He opened the craft's hatch. Vala was unconscious. He took her out of the craft.

The starlight in the torch had gone. The figure flickered and slowly vanished like desert mirage. The fire engulfing the walls soon dissipated too. Everything was back to normal, well almost everything, Vala was still unconscious.

Cam tried to bring her back but she remained the way she was. He checked her pulse, which for his relief was normal but this was not helping much. Cam used the time to prepare something to eat and bring fresh water. He then took Jackson's notes and headed to the center of the city square where they discovered the writings.

The writings were definitely ancient Greek. After few hours of trying, Cam managed to decipher few words. It said "lord protectorate", "supreme" and "heavens".

* * *

Vala came around about a few hours later. She sat up holding her head. Cam gave her something to eat, and some water.

"How are you feeling?" – He asked still concerned.

"My heard hurts like I've played several boxing rounds with Teal'c." – Vala answered. Cam smiled. She was definitely back. "What happened?"

"The torch illuminated the area around your craft and you moved away. When you landed, you were not conscious." – Cam explained.

"Oh."

"And I've managed to decipher few of the words on the statue at the village's square." – Cam added.

"Let's see." – Vala stood up, faltering a bit.

"Easy." – Cam stood up supporting her.

"I'm fine." – Vala said. "I'm just a bit light headed."

"This is reason enough, for you to take it easy." – Cam said.

"Let's go."

Cam sighed, and supporting her, headed to the village's square. She was stubborn at times.

"Here, it says "lord protectorate", "supreme" and "heavens". This is as far as I have managed." – Cam showed her.

Vala looked at the writing and said. "Here at the island's hills surrounded of fire by water, our lord protectorate, supreme guardian of Heavens, bids you welcome to our fair community. He speaks on your behalf to the mounts of Olympus. He gives you the light and then guides you back into the ocean to be darkness as set to the doorway of enlightenment."

Cam looked staggered at Vala, his jaw opened. She looked back at him. "What?"

"How did you do that?" – Cam asked with a look of great concern in his eyes.

"What did you mean?"

"You just read ancient Greek." – Cam bluntly replied.

"Oh, I did?"

"Yeah…oh boy!" – It seemed that the blinding light was also something familiar and a real concern to Cam, if it was what he thought it could be.

Vala guessed quickly what he was thinking and shook her head. "That's impossible."

"Really?" – Cam asked raising an eyebrow. "Then how did you explain – yourself reading a dead Earth language, ha?"

"A…I don't know." – Vala replied cautiously. "A wild guess?"

"It's too precise to be a wild guess." – Cam remarked. "We have to go back to the SGC, immediately."

"Well, if it is what you think it is then only the Asgards could do that but as we all know they're gone. And the only person that could actually do that would be Sam, which is also gone so if it is what it is then there is nothing you can do."

"Stop saying that." – Cam's temper suddenly heated up. "That's what everyone kept saying…"there's nothing you could've done, Colonel Mitchell. It wasn't your fault what happened and bla bla…"

"But it's true."

"Not exactly. I do know one that could help."

"Who?"

"Dr. Rodney McKay. We are going to Atlantis and that's final. There must be a way."

* * *

**To be continued…**

**And don't forget to review. It only takes a couple of minutes.** **Thank you!**

**Lordheaven**


	5. Lord Protectorate Part 2 Helios

_**Disclaimer: The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**_

**Chapter 5**

**Lord Protectorate**

**Part Two – Helios**

Two days later, Cam and Vala had arrived at the SGC. They had left the Al'Kesh in the hands of SG-11 to transport it while they use the Alpha Site to gate to Earth. General Landry greeted them at the usual briefing room where Cam saw who had replaced him as leader of the new SG-1.

"Colonel Sheppard, congratulations!" – Cam wished as they shook hands.

"Colonel Mitchell."

"I'd have supposed you'd have Dr. McKay on your team." – Cam said.

"Yeah, me too but Rodney is still needed on Atlantis, as are Teyla and Ronon." – John answered casually.

"And you're not?" – Cam asked.

"Of course, he is but someone had to lead SG-1." – General Landry answered instead of John. "And the Pentagon chose Colonel Sheppard."

"I hear you guys have a little problem." – John said.

"Yeah, we do." – Cam admitted and told them what they had achieved so far. Then the story reached the part where they encountered the colossus.

"Oh, God, not again." – John exclaimed. "You believe it is like the Ancient head-sucker devices?"

"Well, I think so as Vala started reading ancient Greek. I'm not sure whether she can speak but it is consistent."

"Ancient Greek – only Greek, she has not spoken in the tongue of the Ancients?" – Landry inquired.

"No, actually, she can't read Ancient. We've already tried." – Cam shook his head.

"This is very strange." – John noted.

"I know." – Cam said.

"Yo boys, would you care to remember that I'm still here?" – Vala interjected.

"Sorry Vala." – Cam turned to her.

"This is very, very strange." – John said again. "From what I've read of SG-1 reports, once this starts the person's brain is completely overridden and starts speaking the Ancient tongue without speaking English at all but understands it."

"Yeah, I agree." – Landry inserted. "And Vala doesn't seem to fit into those parameters."

"Vala, can you speak Greek or Ancient Greek?" – Cam inquired.

"I don't know. I had no one to practice with." – Vala replied.

"But you haven't had any urges to start building something or something alike lately?" – John inquired just to be sure.

"Not as of yet."

"This is definitely a different situation than with the Ancient device not the mention the way it had happened." – John observed. "So, Colonel, why do you think McKay might be able to help?"

"He is the only one left with sufficient knowledge of the Asgard technology. I mean with the Asgards and Sam gone…" – Cam answered.

"I see." – General Landry said thoughtfully. "Very well, Colonel Mitchell, I'm authorizing you to proceed to Atlantis. And I'm assigning SG-1 to you – for as long as you may need them."

"General, sir, it is only a visit to Atlantis – nothing more. There is no need of SG-1." – Cam said.

"Alright, you can alone." – Landry sighed. "Good luck, Colonel, Vala."

"Well, we'll see each other another time, Colonel Sheppard." – Cam said getting up.

"Well, we will have the opportunity." – John agreed.

"Vala time to go." – Cam said but then suddenly Vala managed to surprise them all as her eyes showed that she was not somehow here. "Vala, Vala, hello, wake up!"

"We must go to the First temple of the sun bringer on Corinth." – Vala spoke.

"I'm sorry where?" – Landry exclaimed baffled.

"Corinth, the acropolis where lies the sacred temple of golden aureole, in Greece." – Vala answered.

"Greece? But Vala we have to get you to Atlantis." – Cam protested.

"No, we have to go to Greece." – Vala replied stubbornly. "We have to find the Neokoros of Eidoleionos."

"Okay, she started speaking oddly, again." – Cam remarked.

"Has she done this before?" – John inquired.

"Yes, just yesterday."

"Alright, find Ballinsky, he might be to help with the translations." – Landry said.

Ballinsky, now member of SG-22, arrived shortly after. Cam and John explained the situation.

"Do you have any idea what she means? – Cam asked.

"Well, this is Ancient Greek. I believe Neokoros refers to a…warden, a guardian of a scared temple, and the other word," – Ballinsky paused looking at the dictionary he had brought with him. "The other means an Idol's temple thus Eidolon."

"Great, this is better." – Cam observed. "General, I would like to take Ballinsky with me. Someone would have to translate whatever Vala might blurt out again."

"Permission granted, Colonel." – Landry said. "You'll be transported to the location by the Odyssey. It would save considerable time."

"Thank you, sir!" – Cam said then turned to Vala. "Time to go."

"Thank you, colonel, for this opportunity." – Ballinsky turned to Cam.

"I just hope you're worth it, Ballinsky." – Cam answered.

"I'll try my best not to disappoint, sir."

"Good!" – Cam turned on the communicator. "Odyssey, this is Mitchell, we're ready."

"Understood, Colonel." – And in the next second Vala, Cam and Ballinsky were beamed away.

* * *

Vala, Cam and Ballinsky materialized on a silent hill facing the sea. All around them there were ruins of shrines and temples, and possibly other buildings that had decayed over time. Cam was going to ask where to now but Vala took lead immediately. She headed east down a stony path that had somehow survived through the centuries. Cam and Ballinsky followed.

Vala was choosing her way through fallen columns and stones until they stopped before eight columns, some of which had snapped in halves. But there were four that were still intact. It was clear that once they were the foundation of a temple.

"Is this it?" – Cam asked turning to Vala.

Vala did not reply. She was concentrated in examining every inch of the columns so Cam turned with the same question to Ballinsky.

"I don't think so, Colonel." – Ballinsky replied at once. "These columns were once part of the temple of Apollo."

"Apollo?"

"Yes, at some point he was considered the God of light and the sun. But his abilities were earlier identified as being a god of prophecy, medicine and healing. He was also seen as the bringer of ill-health and deadly plague."

"Well, it seems you know your ancient history well." – Cam observed.

"Yeah, that's what is so fascinating about being an archeologist, sir."

"Sure, looking for people that died some thousands of years ago and ruins of around the same time frame."

Vala did not join their little conversation. She was looking for something in particular. Curiously, it was so well visible but once you know what you're looking for. The columns were made of solid granite rock fashioned in such a way that it resembled marble stone.

And there, she saw it, a little marking, slightly above the middle of the column. Ballinsky was right about one thing this was the temple of Apollo. Apollo, the great and so important God that so many confused with the powerful Helios. But the deception was necessary. The marking was barely visible. It was carved in with a tooler of the ancient God Hephaestus, god of fire and smiths.

Vala nodded satisfied. The markings were still active so what she was looking for was still there. She left the columns and headed north to the Acrocorinth. The entire complex was devoted to him, the great god of the Sun.

Cam and Ballinsky suddenly noticed that Vala was no longer with them.

"Where the…is she?" – Cam called, turned around and noticed her going north across the plains. "There she is." – He pointed. "Let's go before we lose her out of sight again."

They ran to catch up with her. The day was coming close to noon, and it seemed that Vala was in a hurry. She hoped to reach her destination in time otherwise what she was looking for might not be obtainable. She was on a tight schedule. She had limited time to obtain it.

Reaching the top hill on the Acrocorinth, Cam and Ballinsky noticed several, very oddly looking statues standing before four columns. Actually, each statue was standing before two of the columns, and its configuration bore resemblance to an entrance that seemed familiar to Cam. As he came to think of it, it was the exact same way the pedestals stood at the gates of the Ancient village.

Vala had stopped right at the distance between the statues and the columns. Her hands were in the air depicting odd circles. As Cam and Ballinsky reached the statues they felt a barrier before them that was not allowing them to go forward. Instead they heard a low chanting that was coming from Vala.

"What is she saying?" – Cam turned to Ballinsky.

Ballinsky was listening carefully but then shook his head. "I have no idea. The language is not of the Ancients or Greek of any form."

Vala was just standing now, her hands above her head as though blessing someone. The chanting grew and they distinctly heard the words this time. "_**Semina nocte, at'ter Valhalla os te Olympus! Vale ayeter nomene Ferula iht Lomane, Dignio Celere, qu'etie naxte Fornax, flash nase'lle black, black eis flash! **__**Vale sail nol'ere, vale e Si-a, vale e Si-a**__, __**Vale E SI-A at'ter Nature Rerum!**_"

The last words were said louder and louder. The ground beneath their feet shook. Fire erupted all around covering the entire hill. The pair columns came together thus creating a pedestal each upon which the form of giant figure appeared. The same figure Cam saw in the Ancient village, the one holding a torch in one hand, and a golden crown on its head.

Its eyes, this time, were shining with the eternal light of the sun. The torch as usual was burning with warm golden light; the edges of the crown sparkling gently like made of diamonds.

Vala stepped forward, kneeling to the ground with the words. "_**Vale sail nol'ere nomene a niht damina Nocte. Vale nomene ait Dignio Celere atih black fatil'il in noct. **__**Vale nomene Lomane a damina Nocte.**_"

"Ballinsky, what the hell is she saying?"

"I haven't got the slightest idea, sir." – Ballinsky replied truthfully.

Cam was about to say something but in this instance a loud bang sounded like a hammer hitting the ground. The giant figure bent down, its hand on the head of Vala, and words like whispered by the wind reached their ears.

"_**Lomane te'en si-e, Ferula semina ne'etie lita. Celere himene ahit zina. Celere nevet en Protos Eidoleionos atih Arnesk nirt, zegma tenebria. Nii'la nol'ere si-e erant e si-a eru, hanet Damina Nocte, asili on'tua re'cta Nocte. Conie na te sinal – mi-a ort et black et'n flash."**_

"_**Ha'alla at'ter Nature Rerum! Mi-e si-a rolte."**_ - Vala said then the figure rose up and dissipated. The fires diminished and slowly vanished.

"Vala, what's going on?" – Cam asked. "What were you saying?"

"I spoke with Helios, ruler of Nature." – Vala replied with a smile. "I know now what we must do."

"Ah, sorry, Helios is the God of the Sun, or at least the personification of the Sun." – Ballinsky interjected.

"Not at all," – Vala objected but then shrugged and said. "But the Greeks thought so."

"What did you say?" – Cam repeated impatiently.

Vala repeated the first thing she had said in the unknown tongue then translated it into English. "Evil had come again, oh lord of Valhalla and Olympus. Give me of your wisdom and strength; give me your Sacred Torch, which you brought from Fornax! Light rising from darkness, and darkness setting into light. Show me the way, I summon thee, I summon thee, I summon thee Lord of Nature!"

Then she continued with the second praise. "Show me the way so I can vanquish the Evil. Give me your Sacred Torch to guide me in every corner in the darkness of the cosmos. Give me the strength to vanquish the Evil!"

And then came time for Helios' answer and guidance. "Strength you possess, Wisdom comes with time. You will find the torch where the address you saw pointed. The torch you must place in the First Eidolon Temple at Arnesk, in the triangle of darkness. On your way, you will find your other self and he, his other self – together will you defeat Evil. But you must be taught by those who encased Evil. You will know them by the symbol they carry – my fire and the darkness of the light."

"And at last I said: "Hail Lord of Nature. I'm your humble servant!" Satisfied?"

"Wow!" – Ballinsky exclaimed. "What language was that?"

"It was the tongue of the Ancients."

"I'm sorry; this is not the language of the Ancients." – Ballinsky vividly objected.

"True," – Vala agreed. "It is not the language of the Alterrans but it is the language of the Ancient ones. There is a significant difference."

"Vala." – Cam called. "You said that we will find this torch with the gate address you gained on P1F-519?"

"Yes, we will." – Vala nodded.

"Why should we find it?" – Cam inquired.

"We have to find it because it holds the key to defeating the Evil that will spring from P99-999. Oh, don't ask me what that evil is, I don't know. But this is what I've gained from the messenger on P1F-519. It spoke of great evil captured on P99-999, which we as it seems have inevitably helped in easing its escape."

"Oh not again. Every time we step through the gate there is a chance we might screw up something, and as it seems we did it again, somehow." – Cam cried out to the universe.

"Well, someone has to take the blame." – Vala shrugged.

"And the last part…"

"We have to find our other selves so together we can defeat the evil. But first we have to find those that apparently have trapped or sealed or whatever the Evil in the first place so they teach us or train us, I don't know exactly."

"And we will know them by Helios' Fire and Eternal darkness?"

"No, this would be, yes, Helios' fire, and the darkness within the light." – Vala corrected him.

"Whatever. And where should we find them?"

"Ah, I don't know."

"You don't know? This wasn't in the message?"

"No, but it seems they will find us, at least this is the way it sounded to me."

"Well, this is becoming one hell of adventure." – Cam remarked. "So where do we go to find this torch?"

"I'm not really sure. We have to check the database of gate addresses." – Vala suggested.

"Oh, right, trip in Greece is officially over." – Cam said. "Odyssey, this is Mitchell, ready for transport."

"Understood Colonel." – The Odyssey's first officer replied.

"This is going to make the most interesting briefing in the history of the SGC." – Cam said sarcastically as they vanished.

* * *

And in truth it was. General Landry was completely baffled by it. He was of course concerned for Vala given how she impeded Cam and Ballinsky but Vala patiently explained that this was not her doing. She also explained that she was given this knowledge by Helios' guardian so she could communicate with Helios in his native tongue. And now they have to find the torch and bring it at the Eidolon Temple.

"And this temple is where?"

"Ah, I don't know." – Vala replied.

"Great!" – Cam exclaimed.

"You didn't think that it would be that easy, now did you?" – Vala reprimanded him. "We were given enough information. Well, it's not enough but sufficient."

"Really?" – Cam asked mockingly this time. "We have to find our other selves, which we don't know who or where they are. Then apparently we have to find those that trapped the Evil in the first place, and then we have to find this temple that we also have no idea where it is. Sure, we have enough information."

"Well, we do have a name Eidolon and Arnesk. I'll say it is a good start. Well maybe not for you but it is, Colonel Mitchell!" – Vala snapped.

"Enough." – General Landry intervened. "Vala is right. You do have the name of the place."

"Sir, what we have is needle in a haystack of unknown size. It could be anywhere." – Cam objected.

"Well, I think it might be a good place to start at the place where you will find this torch." – Landry reasoned, and added. "It seems that your visit to Atlantis will be canceled."

"Not at all," – Vala objected. "We are going to Atlantis."

"What? Why?" – Cam asked.

"I believe this would be so because the address, the gate address doesn't correspond to anything we have in the Milky Way database." – Vala replied. "I already checked."

"But why Atlantis? What makes you think it will be there?"

"Nothing, but we have to try." – Vala replied.

"Have you tried to dial the address from here?" – Landry asked.

"No, and I don't think it will work." – Vala shook head.

"How would you know?" – Cam asked.

"I just do."

"Yeah, right." – Cam shot. "Let's see, shall we?"

He got on his feet, went one level down to the gate room, and waited for Vala. Sergeant Harriman was waiting patiently too.

"Give him the address." – Cam said.

"Very well," – Vala snapped. She pushed Walter aside and entered the gate address. The gate started dialing itself. As it reached the sixth symbol the dialing procedure aborted itself.

"Satisfied?" – Vala turned to Cam.

"No, Walter, dial this address again." – Cam ordered.

Walter dialed the address several times before realizing something. "Sir, the seventh symbol doesn't correspond."

"What?"

"The point of origin is not Earth." – Walter replied while Vala broke into laughter.

"Very funny." – Cam remarked.

"I told you." – Vala said with a very irritating tone. "The point of origin doesn't correspond to any in the Milky Way so we have to try the Pegasus gate system."

"And if it doesn't fit into the Pegasus gate system?" – Cam asked then.

"Then we will have McKay calculate its position in space so we can reach it by ship." – Vala answered.

"Oh," – Cam exclaimed. "I haven't thought of that. But why not now?"

"Well, I want to go to Atlantis and look around. Anyway, what's the point now if the address might be there?"

"True." – Cam had to admit she was right. There was no point in wasting the time to calculate if it was already in the Pegasus.

"Sergeant, dial Atlantis." – General Landry ordered.

"Not yet." – Vala stopped them. "We have to take our ships with us so we will have to travel with Odyssey."

"Those ships will be studied in Area 51." – Landry informed. "And…"

"I don't think so, General." – Vala objected. "They are coming with us, and it is final."

"I have to agree here, sir." – Cam supported Vala.

"Very well," – Landry ceded. "Sergeant, inform the Odyssey's commander. He's to take Colonel Mitchell and Vala to Atlantis, plus their ships."

"Yes, sir!" – Walter said.

* * *

**And don't forget to review. It only takes a couple of minutes.** **Thank you!**

**Lordheaven**


	6. Tensions

_**A/N1: I'd like to thank Hazmot, Cayenta2, Acer-sigma and the rest for the support of this fic. I appreaciate your reviews. Thank you! And please continue to review!**_

* * *

_**Disclaimer: The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**_

**Chapter 6**

**Tensions**

The Odyssey was traveling in hyperspace towards Atlantis. Vala was spending mostly her time in the flight bay where the two interceptors and the Farscape shuttle were. She was continuing her study on the craft's technology while Cam was in his quarters or somewhere on the bridge.

Their relationship was a bit strained now as their argument in the SGC briefing room had not cooled yet, not to mention that the arguments they had later aboard the Odyssey did not make things any easier. And naturally when they arrived at Atlantis, they hardly were speaking to each other except when it was work related.

Dr. Rodney McKay, now second in command of Atlantis, greeted them in the briefing room. He listened carefully to the reason of their visit, and to say the least was just as baffled as General Landry had been. But his eyes lit up when he learnt of Vala and Cam's new toys – the three ships.

"Well, if you provide me with the address, we can have Atlantis' computers start the search immediately. As for the name of the planet – Arnesk, we can look for it in the database too. It will take some though so I'll send someone to show you to your quarters." – Rodney said.

"Thank you, Rodney." – Vala said while excusing herself out of the room.

Cam and Rodney exchanged looks. Actually, Cam could not recall any particular time when she had called McKay by his first name.

"What's going on between you two?" – Rodney asked Cam as they were now alone.

"Nothing, Doc." – Cam retorted and exited the room while Rodney shook his head. Cam had no intention of telling Rodney of how their relationship was going because it was going bad. Cam did not like the idea of being kept out of the loop and Vala wasn't making things easier.

The Odyssey had deposed the three crafts at Atlantis jumper bay where Rodney and some of the scientists started examining them with great curiosity. Vala had gone straight to her quarters while Cam spent the time wandering around the city with no particular destination. Atlantis was a huge city and yet they knew so little about it although, of course, McKay could argue otherwise.

* * *

The next morning, Vala was first to wake up. She had very curios dreams or visions, she was not sure. The moment she had fallen asleep her Morpheus had transported her aboard a very odd ship. It was all organic with little round robots with two lights above their head like mechanic bugs. They were snooping around the ship fixing whatever needed fixing. But Vala felt like she belonged to that place. She did not feel like a stranger there she felt like it was home. It was indeed a very odd sensation.

Vala left her quarters, and headed outside. The fresh morning air was helping a lot in cooling thoughts. She was still trying to figure out what went wrong between her and Cam. They had a little battle at the SGC but there she was right. It was only that Cam wasn't listening. And then aboard the Odyssey all hell broke loose. All frustration was let loose. They were indeed sailing into the unknown but Cam was thinking that she was acting under outside influence and that she was most certainly endangering his life and the lives of everyone else, and bla bla bla. She needed not to prove herself. She has already done that over and over again. She thought Cam knew this but obviously he didn't. Of course, she knew he was still blaming himself for the loss of SG-1 (the original).

And now they were going on some fool's quest to find about a project of the Alterrans never before seen or mentioned anywhere, which was connected to the loss of SG-1 following the instructions of an ancient God – Helios that spoke in a language older than the one of the Alterrans. I mean who wouldn't be worried when told that he had unleashed yet another evil problem into the universe. What can you want from us humans, curios beings?

Vala reached the edge of the platform, which could easily serve as landing pad for a battle cruiser. As she stood there she heard someone approaching. She turned around and saw Dr. Carson Beckett. She had read the reports regarding his existence and to say the least they were quite controversial.

"Morning, love." – Carson greeted in his usual fashion.

"Morning Dr. Beckett." – Vala responded.

"Carson will do, love." – Carson smiled.

"Carson, it is then." – Vala smiled back and turned again towards the sunrise.

"Is something troubling you?" – Carson asked looking at her. He could always sense when someone was not feeling at ease.

Vala sighed. Maybe, she should let all these bottled feelings go out. Maybe, she'll feel better so she did. Carson was a marvelous listener. He was gasping and exclaiming at exactly the right places. But he was also helping.

"Listen, love, sometimes it is difficult." – Carson said, sympathy streaming from his voice. "You know, when I first arrived here I was this little scared doctor. Well, I did volunteer for the mission though I was sure not many of us had any idea what we were getting ourselves into. I didn't like even sitting on the defense chairs, even though Rodney was insisting, I was afraid I would break something. And look at it; I accidentally activated a drone that could have shot down General O'Neil and Colonel Sheppard's helicopter. But with time, I started embracing all this because situations started to demand of me more and more. And people were dependant on what I do. And what we do is important. It will never be easy. It'll always be difficult even impossible but we'll overcome it together or fall together. It's our nature – never give up, never surrender."

Vala had to agree with Carson. He was right. If you never search for an answer, you will never find it. On the way you will stumble and fall but you will always get up and carry on because you have to. Not for your sake but for the sake of all others.

"Thank you, Carson." – Vala said. "I feel much better now."

"I'm glad I could ease it a bit, love." – Carson said happily, a friendly smile on his face.

"Sunrise." – Vala pointed with her eyes then closing them said. "Bringer of hope."

"To all of us, to all of us." – Carson added, patting her on the back.

"You're a good man, Carson."

"I'd like to think so." – Carson noted. "I'd like to think so."

The sun there on the horizon rose and bestowed its light on Atlantis, the mechanic wonder of the ancient times but also the best hope of a galaxy. And although, the wraiths have been defeated, evil never sleeps and usually pops up when never expected. This was the destiny of all curios and exploring beings.

Vala with Carson returned inside of Atlantis. Carson headed towards med bay while Vala headed for the control room.

* * *

She entered into the office where Cam and Rodney already were.

"Good morning." – Vala greeted.

"Morning," – Cam replied rather cold. "McKay had just finished checking the database. The gate address doesn't match any of the known Pegasus addresses. So do you have any ideas what do we do now?"

"I think you know what." – Vala responded.

"Ah, yes, well, I can't plot a course since we have no point of reference." – Rodney said sadly.

"What of Arnesk?" – Vala asked.

"I found a reference in the Ancient database. The planet is apparently in the Milky Way." – Rodney said but Vala noticed that he was frowning.

"What is wrong?"

"Well, the coordinates provided for the planet's location can't be right." – Rodney replied, clearing exhibiting signs of confusion.

"Why not?"

"Well, it would be because these coordinates match the location of Dakara." – Rodney said. "And this would be impossible unless I've missed something."

"So we are back at square one, again." – Cam inserted with disappointment.

"Let me see." – Vala insisted. She looked at the data available. Rodney was right it was where Dakara was but not exactly. "The coordinates do not match." – Vala said.

"They do I checked." – Rodney objected.

"No, they don't." – Vala contradicted him. "You haven't taken into account the stellar adrift of thousands of years. And when you do you will see that it points to somewhere here." – Vala pointed on the map.

Rodney took a look at the point Vala was showing and frowned further. "Even if this is correct, there is nothing there but a void of space."

"There is where Arnesk is." – Vala said with confidence.

"How can you be so sure given that you didn't know its location before?" – Cam asked skeptically.

"It is perfectly obvious why." – Vala retorted. "Rodney miscalculated."

Rodney was rechecking Vala's claim. Few minutes later, sighing, he admitted she was right but was still certain that at that point there were no planets.

"Yeah, like the exact location of Arnesk, previously." – Vala smirked sarcastically at Cam's suggestion of how right Rodney was.

"Alright then, the gate address – where is it? Or should I say in which galaxy in the so little existing?"

"The gate address is here. The constellation configuration matches the Pegasus ones." – Vala said. "Have you physically tried to dial it?"

Rodney and Cam looked all taken aback because they actually hadn't tried it. Vala only nodded with almost satanic satisfaction at their failure to do even the most easier and logical thing. She exited the room and moved to the DHD.

"Excuse me, Sergeant." – Vala said pushing Chuck aside. She dialed quickly the address while looking at the database they had for the point of origin. The gate did not lock but Vala had found a way to pinpoint the point of origin from where they will have to dial the gate. "I know how to locate it" – Vala turned to Cam and Rodney.

"How?" – Rodney asked.

"I need the holographic chamber." – Vala said.

"Alright, this way." – Rodney shrugged and led the way.

They arrived at the holographic chamber. Rodney activated it. The map of the Pegasus appeared.

"It does accept voice commands?" – Vala inquired.

"Yes, it does." – Rodney nodded.

"Good." – Vala said satisfied, pushed Rodney aside and stepped before the console.

Cam and Rodney stood wondering what Vala had had in mind. Vala did not move or say anything for a long, long, agonizing time. She was looking at all the stars as though waiting for a sign. But then when the waiting became frustratingly long, she spoke.

"_**Vale nomene nol'ere himune Celere at'ter Helius.**_"

Rodney stood baffled. He had believed Cam, later on when they spoke privately, that Vala had indeed spoken in a language possibly older than the Ancient one but until this very moment he couldn't quite believe it.

But for his and Cam's utter surprise, the holographic map shifted and displayed the galaxy in a different light. It showed a planet that obviously was not included in the available list of gate addresses. It bore the symbol, which was the point of origin they were looking for.

As said the map of the galaxy looked different. Rodney noticed that it was possibly displaying its state as it had been at least fifty or maybe sixty thousand years ago, long before the Ancients encountered the Wraith or even further back in time.

"This is where we have to go." – Vala pointed at the map.

"Great, McKay, let's dial the gate." – Cam exclaimed.

"Not so fast," – Vala stopped them. "That gate can not be reached from here."

"What?"

"We have to go by ship." – Vala replied all beaming.

"How can you know this?" – Cam asked frustrated.

"Well, this is what it says here." – Vala pointed on the map.

The symbols that were on the map were not Ancient as Rodney and Cam noticed so maybe Vala was saying the truth but as Rodney remarked they were not ancient Greek or otherwise either. They were in a totally unknown language making him wonder why the Ancients had done it in this way.

"We'll try it anyway." – Cam concluded.

"Be my guest." – Vala said, shrugging with total indifference but a careful observer would have said total mocking.

Of course, they dialed the gate but couldn't establish contact. They tried again and again and Cam was only seeing Vala's mocking face.

"Alright, we'll go by ship." – Cam sighed defeated.

"I'll have SGA-1 accompanying you." – Rodney said.

"Cool." – Cam exclaimed earning a smile on Vala's face, for he knew why she was so excited.

"Colonel Reynolds will transport you to the planet." – Rodney informed.

"We need our interceptors with us." – Vala inserted.

Cam and Rodney looked at her questioningly. Rodney, of course, threw a disappointed look. He was hoping to spend some more time studying these crafts.

"All of them or only the interceptors?" – Cam inquired.

"All of them, actually, yes, thank you, Cam." – Vala confirmed, staring happily at the sun.

"Might I ask why?" – Cam looked at her.

"We'll need them." – The answer was.

"That's a fine answer."

"Yes, it is." – Vala smiled and strode off.

Cam looked at Rodney but just shrugged. Lately Vala had these strange occurrences in her behavior that he could only associate with the happening on P1F-619. The curios part was that this event had no changed her physically. As they came on Atlantis, he had asked Rodney to make her a full medical examination but they did not discover any anomalies – no increased brain activity, physical strength or anything else, and yet she could speak a very old language, and act oddly at times. Cam sighed and got to his quarters to pack again.

After a while, he got to the gate room where they were to say goodbyes with Rodney and Atlantis and depart in the company of SGA-1. The team was lead now by Major Alicia Vega. Actually, Cam knew why Vala was so excited. It was because the entire team, the lead team of Atlantis, was made of women, although this shouldn't lower Cam's mood, on the contrary, it was brightening it up. But still it was odd. For years, the leaders of the teams were men, and now women. They conquered everything, everywhere.

"McKay, thank you again." – Cam said, shaking hands with the good doctor.

"You're welcome. If you have any problems, alerts us at once. We will assist in any way possible." – Rodney replied with a smile then turned to the ladies' team. "SGA-1, good luck, and make sure they come back safely."

"Sure, doc!" – Major Vega said, beaming at Rodney and a careful observer would say with more than just casual intent. Rodney, of course, ignored that look, as usual.

"Achilles, this is Mitchell, we are ready for transport." – Cam said.

"Roger that, Colonel."

* * *

USS Achilles was the new battle cruiser commissioned for the Atlantis expedition. It was captained by Colonel Reynolds. The Achilles was, like all the other ships, being retrofitted with the Asgard plasma beams and the latest improvement in shield technology, one of the last contributions of Colonel Carter. The shields were made specifically more resistant to wraith weapons.

Cam, Vala and SGA-1 were transported aboard the Achilles, which shortly after jumped to hyperspace. The voyage was not very long but at least it gave Vala the time to explain her plan to Cam and SGA-1.

"Ah, Cam, it's time you joined us." – Vala insinuated with growing sarcasm.

"I was having a lovely brunch." – Cam answered back exactly the same way.

SGA-1 team members looked at each other and giggled silently. The bunter between Cam and Vala was growing, and was becoming very interesting, as Alicia was suspecting it was going to end in one specific rectangular (although it doesn't need to be rectangular, it could well be a round one too) and very soft place (although that can't be certain either given their luck).

"Ahum," – Alicia intervened before they continued with the sweet insult business. "Vala, you're saying…"

"Yes, I'm sorry, Alicia." – Vala nodded. "I was saying it is good that ALL are here so I could explain to ALL, the plan."

"Great." – Cam exclaimed. "Now we can…"

"Ah, colonel, we are working and that tends to work better when there are no hormones flying around." – Alicia cut him off with a smile. "Please Vala, continue."

Cam was to answer back at this interruption but clearly he was completely ignored. It became clear he was now in girls' territory and it was best to be patiently quiet.

"Thank you, Alicia." – Vala smiled throwing at Cam a victorious and devious look. "The planet, we are going to have a different gate than the rest of the gate system. This gate is bigger and the interceptors (and even the shuttle) can go through much like the puddle jumpers. I hear you ask why with the crafts. The answer is because the gate on the other side is located into a tunnel system. So if we were to go by foot, we would certainly perish, as it will be hanging high above the ground."

"Why we didn't simply take puddle jumpers?" – Cam couldn't resist asking.

"We didn't take them because when reach our destination we'll have to maneuver inside a series of tunnels and this would require speed and maneuverability, which unfortunately are not a common trait of the puddle jumpers. That's why."

"I see."

"Vala, how did you know all this?" – Alicia asked and the question was well placed.

"That's a good question." – Cam turned expectedly at Vala.

Vala looked down and said quietly. "I had a vision."

"What?" – Cam exclaimed loudly, looking concerned and baffled at the same time.

"I had a vision." – Vala repeated.

"When?"

"It was after I spoke with Helios."

"And you didn't mention it because?"

"There was no need." – Vala lied but then looked up and said. "I didn't want to concern you or bother you much."

"Oh!" – Cam wasn't sure how to reply to this sentence but it was certain he did not like it.

"Besides, it's not going to be easy. These tunnels are very narrow. And we'll have to fly in close formation. One mistake and we are dust. I wanted to tell you…"

"At the last possible moment?" – Cam shot angrily. "Vala, you could have mentioned that earlier so we could be better prepared! Do you have any idea how this works on the psyche? Mentioning it in the last possible moment?" – Cam had now raised his voice, he was indeed angry.

"Well, I know." – Vala said. "But I wasn't sure that the Ancients would have left the traces in their database. We may have come for nothing to Atlantis."

"You've done nothing wrong, Vala." – Alicia intervened on her behalf.

"Nothing wrong?" – Cam exclaimed, his fury climbing.

"Well, Vala couldn't have possibly anticipated all the outcomes, Colonel." – Alicia heated up. "She had to consider a point where this quest might have not happened. We can't always know if something is going to be there after a few thousand or million years so she chose not to tell. There is nothing wrong with this. Besides, given your attitude towards her lately it is a wonder she has not slapped you or killed you yet. I would have."

Cam blinked. He was baffled. Major Vega was lecturing him how to behave with a woman, and it was baffling. They were before a possibly dangerous, futile mission and he was been lectured about his behavior and attitude towards Vala, and maybe women as a whole. Human nature is so curios at times, Cam thought.

"Excuse me?" – Cam said finally.

Alicia did not bother to answer though she did give him a look that was clear saying "you heard me".

Cam was about to say the something he had in mind but Alicia decided best to interrupt him anyway.

"So girls, as you can see – he's about to pull rank, which of course is perfectly and quite normally predictable in all men, therefore, gals, we're leaving the dear colonel, at least I am." – Alicia then stood up, and left the room. Her team followed her as did Vala.

"What the…?" – Cam exclaimed. "Women!" – Cam sighed, pulled a chair and sank in it.

Cam imposed himself an exile, actually far away from the 'women' team. But he had to break the exile as Colonel Reynolds called him to the bridge. They had jumped out of hyperspace.

"Colonel Mitchell, we've arrived." – Reynolds said as Cam entered the bridge.

Cam looked out. They were in orbit of a planet the size of the moon. It did not look there was any life on the planet.

"The atmosphere has elevated levels of toxics." – Reynolds informed.

"I gather." – Cam said. "Have you detected anything down there?"

"No, there are no power sources, no buildings, no nothing. It is a waste land."

"That's not entirely true." – Vala inserted as she entered too the bridge. "There is a chasm near the forth meridian where the gate is."

"Sergeant, scan the indicated area." – Reynolds ordered.

"Yes, sir." – Sergeant Mattison scanned immediately. After two minutes Mattison informed. "I'm detecting a cave system. It is quite extensive, sir, and possibly very large and wide but there are no power sources down."

"There is no need for power sources. The gate has enough power to take us where we have to go." – Vala said. "Colonel Mitchell, it is time to go."

"How are we going to split?" – Cam inquired.

"I'm going to take Alicia with me in one of the interceptors. You're going to take Dusty with you, Captain Terol and Alison in the last interceptor."

"So I am taking Farscape?"

"Yes, you are more familiar with it."

"Meet you in the hangar." – Cam said leaving the bridge. He headed for his quarters to pick up his affects. Then he headed to hangar deck where the interceptors and the shuttle were.

On his way a thought came to his mind. How were they going to dial the gate?

"Vala." – He called as he entered the hangar.

"Yes, Colonel." – Vala replied coldly.

"How are we going to dial the gate?"

"One of the 302s is going to come with us. When we are down, the pilot, in hazmat suit, is going to physically dial the gate and here we go." – Vala explained.

"Seems you thought of everything."

"Mostly."

"Good."

* * *

They got into the crafts and started preliminary flight checks. As everything checked out they headed out of the Achilles. A 302 was accompanying them. Then they breached the atmosphere.

"Follow me!" – Vala called as they emerged near the surface.

Her interceptor dived and the others followed. They flew very low passing by ridges and sharp rocks until they reached a cave opening. Vala's interceptor entered. She had then put on the craft's lights. They were going further down the tunnel until they reached a large opening.

As they arrived, all gaped. Positioned onto the ground was the biggest land gate they had ever seen. It was at least forty meters high and just as wider. The DHD was different from the rest. It was positioned on a flat rock pedestal. The symbols were at least half meter big. There were also two obelisks of four meters height positioned equally at the sides of the gate.

Vala and the rest landed near the DHD. Sergeant Mattison, who had come with them, got out of his craft, and headed to the DHD. He started entering the gate address. Each dialed symbol illuminated not on the gate but on the obelisks, as the gate was without symbols. As Mattison was about to enter the last symbol, Vala interrupted him. "STOP!"

Mattison removed his hand from the DHD looking questioningly at her. But Vala did not reply. She stepped before the DHD, touched gently the symbol and shouted, looking at the closest obelisk, _**"Dignio Celere."**_

The obelisk, in this moment, flared up with white blinding light. The other obelisk became all red like molted iron. The two lights connected and seventh symbol appeared on the gate then the event horizon of the wormhole appeared with a roar.

"We are done." – Vala said, heading for her craft. "Thank you, sergeant."

"Don't mention it, and good luck!" – Mattison wished.

Vala's interceptor took off. However before entering she said on the communicator. "The tunnels are very narrow so as we reappear on the other side, fly very close to me. I know it will be very challenging and dangerous but it is the only way. We'll have to be at maximum speed so keep up. Anytime, we make a turn, we make it together. We can't afford any mistakes. Any questions?"

"How close to each other do you want us to fly?" – Cam asked.

"We, the two interceptors, will fly just nine or ten feet away from each other, and you have to be between us but just slightly behind."

"So like a Y?"

"Yes."

"A thought for the turns," – Cam interjected. "When you make one, inform us."

"Agreed."

"Then by all means, let's kick some…tunnels!" – Cam exclaimed.

"Sure, Farscape One." – Vala saluted with a smile.

Her interceptor ventured the event horizon and soon disappeared. The other interceptor followed and Cam went through a second later.

* * *

They reappeared on the other side. Each had to admit that this venturing of the gate felt a bit different. The gate on the other side was placed as part of the tunnel, which as Vala had predicted was indeed very narrow. There was place for them just as much the width of the configuration set by Vala.

There was also something very peculiar and interesting about the tunnel. It looked like it was made of polished and shining ice. The crafts took position and darted off down the tunnel. The tunnel's turns were so many and unexpected that the three craft pilots had to utilize all their skills. With the increase of speed it seemed that the tunnel is fluctuating and even moving like fire hose filled with water and twisting out of control.

The chase of turns and twists of the tunnel continued for one good hour. The pilots were getting tired though they had to remain vigilant and concentrated if they did not want to turn into dust at the next juncture. Hopefully, the tunnel became straighter and wider until finally they emerged into the open.

The sight before their eyes could only be explained as paradise, and paradise of the Gods. As far as the eye could see, from horizon to horizon, they were in a kingdom of snowy, fluffy towers of white clouds bathed by golden, bright and warm sunlight, and below them the gardens of paradise: flowers of all kinds of shapes and sizes, trees – some big, other small of all worlds, running and jumping streams, torrents and rivers, oceans of sapphire blue, clear mirror lakes and frosted mountains' tops and peaks. Everywhere, there was a sense of joy, calamity and tranquility.

And in the middle of this paradise, as giant of all times stood the enormous statue of Helios, the God of the Sun, the God of Nature. He was standing astride with his golden crown atop his head, his eyes sparkling like emerald stars, with white, clean robes; he was holding the torch of everlasting fire.

* * *

**And don't forget to review. It only takes a couple of minutes.** **Thank you!**

**Lordheaven**


	7. The choice

_**A/N1: Here is the next chapter. I'm sorry for the long delay but it has been crazily busy. The chapter is full of unexpected turns.**_

_**Disclaimer: The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**_

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**The choice**

'_**When you eliminate the impossible whatever remains however improbable must be the truth.' – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle**_

Paradise, usually, this one word describes it all. Gardens of flowers ranging from bright, yellow to shiny, piercing blue, magenta; meadows streaming with the aroma of honey; streams – some fast other slow but nicely murmuring, petting the ear sound of heavens – all this spread from ridge to ridge, as each of them covered in fresh, slightly dark green grass. Paradise – yes, indeed, one powerful word it is. Locating it is never easy but once you discovered it capture by it you become and forever stay you want to.

But not for Vala, Cam and SGA-1 who have come to this far place of beauty unseen to seek an unusual artifact – the Torch of Helios. Only Vala knows how it looks though she was not really sure if it is as real as in her vision. Well, Cam has seen it too, on the hand of Helios but a replica and the real thing are two entirely different things.

The three crafts were resting huddled up in the bushes of red, juicy raspberries at the foot of the grand statue while Vala was scouting their way ahead. Cam was resting against one of the big toes of the great god's statue. Major Vega and her team standing in a standard perimeter defense pattern were assimilating the beauty of the surrounding environment, some of them, strangely longing for few of the missions when they were stranded off-world with Dr. McKay, Colonel Sheppard and Dr. Beckett. But those days were now in the past. The team now had the chance working with the ex-SG-1 – Mitchell and Vala, which is always a privilege, at least for an SGC team.

Cam has succumbed, again, to memories. He never got out of that planet, really. Part of him stayed behind and never returned with the rest of him. SG-1, the best SGC has to offer – gone. Cam smiled as he thought of Colonel Sheppard, the now leader of the new SG-1, he has to live up to the reputation of the old one. But then again, Colonel Sheppard has a style of his own, which is different. And Cam hoped that he will do just fine. Thinking now of his career, if somehow they managed to undo what had happened, Cam realized that maybe, just maybe, he had reached his career's end. They had started pushing too much and maybe, again maybe next time they won't get so lucky.

Cam shook his head banishing those thoughts. Now, it was not the time to fall back on memories or plans for the future. All he cared now is to find what has happened and if possible to undo it. As Carter always, said everything is possible. He liked to believe her this one time.

"Cam!" – Vala called on the radio.

"What?"

"I think I found it."

"You think you found what?"

"The entrance to the down chambers where I hope we'll find what we came for." – Vala explained.

"You hope? I thought you knew what you were looking for – this torch thing."

"Well, yeah, but you never know."

Cam sighed deeply. As always they were looking for something they knew nothing of and every time it happened they always manage to get into trouble.

"I'm coming to get you." – Vala said.

"Right."

Vala came shortly after. Cam looked at her and gaped.

"What's that?" – He pointed at the dried, ugly flower remains on her clothes.

"What is what?" – She asked but then noticed it. "Oh, well, that's into the tunnel where we have to go."

"Cute." – Alicia exclaimed.

"Yeah, speak for yourself, major." – Terol said making Alison giggle.

"Shall we?" – Vala called on.

"Please, ladies first." – Cam gestured.

"Oh, such a gentleman." – Alicia winked at her team and took the lead behind Vala.

Cam only shook head. Being with a team of women, of course, someone would find stimulating but he was beginning to regret it. That was all McKay's fault – he assigned them.

* * *

They passed by the raspberry bushes, past the garden of yellow magenta flowers, and straight left, up the hill of fresh grass that gently wavered under the gust of the wind. They soon saw a path of sapphire colored crystals, polished and reflecting the light of the warm sun.

"The river of tears." – Vala informed as they passed by.

"It's beautiful." – Alison observed.

They passed it and turned eastwards toward the snowy edge of the closest mountain ridge. There at the foot of the mountain, they noticed an opening – a cave entrance. The entrance, which was like an arch, was adorned with sky blue lines like veins of water that while glittering on the sun light gave the impression that they are actually flowing.

"Don't tell me," – Cam inserted. "The mouth of the dragon flies?"

"Funny," – Vala smiled. "But no – it's the path of Athena."

"Oh!"

"Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, intelligence and witchcraft." – Alison recited.

"Witchcraft?" – Cam exclaimed. "So what, we should expect a bag of illusions and tricks?"

"Not exactly." – Vala replied, with a mysterious smile.

"Meaning?"

"You'll see." – Vala said and ventured the arch and in the next second vanishing out of sight. Cam and the others stopped bewildered as on the other side of the arch there was no sign of Vala. But they heard her voice nonetheless. "Come on."

Cam took a deep breath and ventured the arch. The sensation was an odd one. He had the distinct feeling he has crossed a membrane of thin, but deeply warm water, which heated his entire body, for a second, before cooling it off.

The sight inside was totally different though. It was like they've crossed into another realm. Before Cam's eyes, there was a lake of polished surface as though made of glass and the far end of it – a waterfall. But the water falling into the lake wasn't creating even a single ripple. It seemed impossible. The water touching the lake seemed to become at once part of the lake as though they were connected, as though they were one and the same flow just divided into two different shapes.

Vala smiled at them seeing their reaction. Curiously enough, she was impressed too but something was keeping her coolness. And before anyone could ask her anything, she stepped onto the surface of the lake and walked. This time, Cam was totally bewildered. He had seen wonders but this now was impossible. Vala stopped in the middle of the lake, turning around.

"Come on!" – She called.

"Are you crazy?" – Cam exclaimed. "It's a lake."

"Yes, it is." – Vala nodded. "But you can come."

"You want me to walk on the surface of a lake? Who do you think I am Jesus?"

"There's nothing to fear. Trust me!"

Cam looked at her deciding whether to follow. "Is there another way?" He asked finally.

"No, there isn't." – Vala shook her head. "Trust me, it's safe."

"For you maybe, God knows what capabilities you gained." – Cam was hesitant.

"I haven't been given the abilities to fly, Cam, or walk on water." – Vala chuckled. "You trust me, right?"

"Yes."

"Then come."

Still a bit unsure, Cam put one foot on the surface and his foot immediately sunk.

"Wow!" – Cam exclaimed removing his foot off the water. "You see?"

"Cam, do you trust me?" – Vala repeated, looking intently at him.

"Yes, I do."

"Then don't doubt the lake." – Vala said. "And follow me!"

Before Cam could do it, Alison Porter stepped onto the lake. For Cam's surprise she did not sink. No, she looked also a bit surprised but confident she reached Vala. Alicia, Dusty and Terol also followed without hesitation, which made the situation embarrassing for Cam. The women succeeded and he stood there like a buffoon – afraid, as you say, of his own shadow.

Cam clenched teeth, taking a deep breath, and stepped on. This time around, he did not sink. It was again a curios sensation. The surface seemed now solid enough to support his weight. But the sensation of standing on the surface was different from the one of crossing through the arch. He was actually feeling like being part of the lake itself. It was very odd indeed.

"Good, now come to me." – Vala called.

Cam's efforts were so far concentrated on stepping on the lake and now he had to walk. But he trusted Vala's judgment, making the first few steps. As he saw that nothing happened of the sort – sinking or drowning, he continued reassured.

Vala took lead again. She crossed the lake reaching the waterfall. There, she bent down, and crawled through the curtain of falling water. The others followed. Arriving on the other side, they were all wet as the thickness of the falling water curtain must have seemed thinner on the outside.

"Welcome to the realm of Ambrosia." – Vala announced.

The garden before their eyes was full of neat, elegant, small bushes and trees with orange-red fruits. Vala reached one of them, grabbed one and handed it over. The taste of the fruit had no description. It was melting into the mouth like ice-cream but it was juicy and delicious lifting the spirit.

Just, a few meters further, on a small, ornate table, there was a jug adorned with golden crystals as big as nuts. The jug was filled with a fluid, an orange-red one, just like the color of the fruits. Around the jug stood six glasses, as though the place knew how many of them were present.

Vala poured in saying: "Cheers."

The taste now was different. The drink was softer, a bit bitter than the fruits, but clearing the mind, making you see, notice the environment around you with new eyes, new vision of reality. As Cam drunk his glass, he started noticing things he hadn't noticed before. At first, he thought the drink had done something to him, ensnaring his perceptions perhaps but no, it wasn't. It simply opened his eyes. (Of course, it works only for those that believe or maybe not).

The garden was full of life, life that wasn't detectable at first glance. Little trochilos were humming back and forth around the bushes and flowers; slugs, snails and other small beings of the same family happily moving around on the ground.

Life in this place was a wonder, a wonder with no description – a simple beauty. And for a moment, just one moment, they forgot all. It was a perfect moment, one that stays with you forever.

Vala looked up first. She sighed deeply, already missing this place but they had to continue, to go on. She called them. "It's time to go." Reluctantly, she turned her back on the garden of Ambrosia and led the group out by the sand path leading north-east.

* * *

The path swirled and zigzagged, passing bridges of tall pending, heavy branches of green, yellow and red leaves, crossing small streams of fuzzy, cool water, sandy riverbanks, and murmuring springs. As they were passing, they came upon the first statue.

Cam looked at it. It strangely resembled a creature of the fairy tails. It had pointy ears, stretched face, and long nose, little, but emerald green eyes, and dark hair. It was odd as statues are not made in full color usually.

"What's that an elf?" – Cam instinctively asked.

"Yes, it must be." – Alison agreed.

"It's called a dark elf." – Alicia intervened.

"He's part of the guardians of this place." – Vala informed.

"Oh, great," – Cam remarked sarcastically, shaking his head. "What's next a dragon?"

"Could be." – Alicia giggled.

"Very funny." – Cam retorted.

They passed the statue of the guardian and continued their journey. Ten minutes later, they encountered their first obstacle – a precipice. It was separating their part of the land but unfortunately it did not seem that there was a bridge. Cam picked a little stone and threw it down the precipice. As he did not hear it hit, Cam swallowed. It was a long way down.

"Now what?" – He asked turning to Vala but truthfully she had no idea, as she shook her head saying: 'I don't know'.

"Well, you should." – Cam said. "You're the one that brought us here."

"True but this doesn't mean that I know everything about this place." – Vala countered.

"Great." – Cam snorted. "So any suggestions? Anyone?"

"Well," – Alicia said hesitantly, and looked down but then smiled. "There is a way."

"Really?"

"Yes," – She confirmed happily. "We just need our ropes."

"And?"

"And we climb down."

"What?" – Cam exclaimed. "Can't we just throw them on the other side thus creating a bridge?"

"This would be a good way Colonel if there's something to hold the ropes." – Alicia said pointing at the other side where indeed no trees or rock formations were where they could attach the ropes.

"Good point." – Cam admitted as he looked.

"Just a few hundred feet down, I see a crevice inside the rock." – Alicia informed. "We'll reach it and from there we'll go up."

"Back up till here?"

"No," – Alicia smiled. "We'll pass on the other side because down there the distance isn't that great as far as I can see."

And she was right. The width of the precipice was greater where they stood while further down the two land sides were closer. Climbing down proved to be far more difficult than it seemed.

As they reached hundred feet, Alison lost her stability and fell down dragging Cam and Terol. Vala, who was last, managed somehow to hold them until Alicia climbed up to stabilize the group but the damage was already done. Alison was unconscious with possibly a broken arm, and she was the doctor of the group. Cam and Terol had few bruises from the fall but hopefully nothing too serious.

Somehow the group managed to reach the crevice Alicia had spotted. There they attended to Alison's broken arm. But the difficult part was yet to begin – the crossing on the other side. Alicia, of course, had an idea. She attached one of the ropes to the rock ledge while the other was tied to a screwdriver that Alicia was going to fire from her gun. Hopefully, it will manage to pierce the rock on the other side and just as much hopefully keep the rope strained while she passes on the other side.

Alicia readied her improvised crampon, aimed and fired. The screwdriver pierced the rock, and miracle, the rope was stretched tight.

"Alright, I go first." – Alicia announced.

"Good luck!" – Vala said.

Alicia grabbed a handle, moved to the edge of the crevice, hung on the rope and started making her way. She was advancing slowly because she feared the rope might not hold if she were to go faster. After twenty exhausting minutes of crossing, she stepped on the other side. She then took a second rope and attached to more prominent jut then detached the rope off the screwdriver and added it to the jut. After that, she threw the first rope to Terol who attached it next to the other rope thus creating a rope bridge. Dusty and Vala passed next.

"Hey, gals, how do you plan of sending Alison?" – Cam asked.

"I'll make it." – Alison said rather bravely.

"Yeah, right, with that broken arm, I don't think so." – Cam remarked, pondering how they could do it. But Alicia had already an idea though a bit risky.

"Colonel, we'll use the other two ropes. One, we will place at mid height and one top height."

Cam nodded. "Throw them."

Cam caught the ropes and set them up.

"Captain Terol will go first then Alison and I'll come last." – Cam said.

"Good."

Captain Terol crossed quickly. Now was Alison's turn. She stepped carefully on the rope, holding with one hand on the mid rope, and started advancing. Step by step, she was nearing the others. Almost at the end of the crossing, the grounds around trembled and Alison lost balance, and fell. At the last moment, she got a grip of the rope. Vala and Alicia immediately moved to her and pulled her up.

Unfortunately, the trembles had not stopped. And as Cam was preparing to pass, a large rock fragment fell from above tearing the ropes.

"Damn!" – Cam exclaimed.

"Cam, are you alright?" – Vala called concerned.

"I'm fine." – Cam calmed her. "But the ropes are gone and there is no way I can reach you unless I jump."

"What? No!" – Vala shouted.

"Well, there is no other way." – Cam observed.

"We'll find another way."

"There is no other way, Vala."

"Are you crazy?" – Vala exclaimed. "Do you want to kill yourself?"

"She's right Colonel." – Alicia said. "The distance is too great for a jump attempt. You won't make it."

"I agree unless you're Superman, which you're not." – Terol added.

"So what should I do in the meantime?" – Cam asked angrily.

"We'll find a way to get you here." – Alicia said. "But for now, I'm afraid you'll have to sit tight, Colonel."

"He could try to climb back up." – Terol suggested.

"Without ropes, it will be suicide." – Alicia remarked, shaking her head. "Colonel, move further into the crevice. It should protect you from any other falling rocks. We'll find a way to get you across."

"Great." – Cam sighed. "Very well, keep radio contact."

"We will, every ten minutes." – Alicia reassured.

"I'm sorry, Cam." – Vala said.

"It's alright, I guess." – Cam sighed defeated. "Just find the damn torch and come to get me."

Cam moved as much as he could into the crevice and sat. The women on the other side sighed. They had to go on. Captain Terol helped Alison while Vala took lead, Alicia and Dusty were last.

Soon, they left the unfortunate rocks heading steadily south-east, passing by islands of bushes of raspberries and cranberries (that looked delicious). Here and there, there were small trees with golden and silver leaves.

* * *

An hour later, their path steepened, leading them down into a gorge of straight, narrowed, sharp rocky walls. The path widened soon enough till they reached an open space. There awaited them a most curious and somewhat disturbing sight.

There was something familiar though. The place looked like Stone Hedge. Enormous black rock blocks were put into a wide circle. In the middle of the circle there were four stones, and bridged between them stood a lonely rock chest. The group saw men, women, fairy tale beasts, animals, birds, trees and even a waterfall all around the four stones.

Alicia approached with caution but when she reached for the first man she realized he wasn't real. Well, he was but he was a solid statue, tapping on his shoulder confirmed it. Actually, they were all statues just like the first they've encountered though these statues seemed to have captured different positions, so to speak. It was as though these people and animals were caught in the middle of doing something else. Or maybe they were trying to cross the gorge pass the stone hedge just like Alicia and her team.

"We should proceed with caution." – Alicia advised. "Vala, do you have any insights?"

"None." – Vala replied, eyeing the poor people, beasts and birds.

"Can we cross this by another path?" – Terol asked.

"No, I'm afraid not." – Vala shook her head.

Alicia was sure to proceed but something caught her eye. It was the 'positions' of the all these creatures. She noticed a distinctive pattern. It seemed as though some of the people were looking for something. And it was not a way to cross the gorge. It was something inside the stone hedge.

"Wait!" – She commanded. "Stay where you are."

"Why?" – Dusty asked.

"We are missing something here." – Alicia answered. "These people, here, were looking for something. See, they were not trying to find a way across. Instead, they were obviously trying to reach the middle."

"For what reason?"

"I don't know, yet." – Alicia replied. "But there is definitely a pattern here."

"I agree." – Vala nodded while observing the statues. "We've encountered something similar while we were looking for the Holly Grail."

"Yes, I've read the mission report." – Alicia said. "But I don't think the situation here is the same. The mission refers to people frozen in a time dilation field while here there is nothing of the kind."

"Well, as I said it is something similar."

"But different nonetheless."

Alicia moved in a slow circle around the perimeter of the statues. She was trying to figure this one out. But Vala was right about one thing – there was something familiar about this. It was not the similarity with the Holly Grail mission though but something else.

She continued to circle looking for something that would give her a sign. Suddenly, Dusty jumped up pointing at something.

"What?" – Alicia asked at once.

"There," – Dusty pointed to the very middle where something was glittering. "It is a crystal or a diamond."

And she moved towards it.

"No, stay put." – Alicia shouted but it was too late. The moment Dusty tried to touch the glittering diamond underneath the chest in the middle she befell the same fate as the rest. She was turned at once into a statue just as she was bending to get it.

"NO!" – The others cried but there was nothing they could do.

"No one moves or approaches the circle." – Alicia commanded. "Damn it, Dusty!"

"What will we do now?" – Alison cried in panic.

"Silence!" – Alicia's voice thundered. "Remain cool. We'll figure it out but with cries we accomplish nothing."

* * *

Alicia finally understood part of the picture. It took a member of her team but she hoped it won't be permanently. The situation here was like a puzzle. If you get all the pieces right you win the prize, which she suspected had something to do with the torch.

As she came to think of it, Vala had said that they were on the path of Athena – wisdom, intelligence and witchcraft. Witchcraft, they encountered when they entered; thirst for knowledge in the garden of Ambrosia; intelligence while they crossed the precipice and it was time for wisdom.

Wisdom – she thought but as she came to think of it they weren't wise. Cam had shown disrespect for the guardian and was now stuck in the precipice. Dusty had shown curiosity and well greed (where there is fine line between them) for the diamond and now she was petrified. They weren't wise in their choices but which choice will be the right one although all could seem as coincidence but Alicia did not believe in it.

It was obvious to her that Vala knew only how the torch looked like, which was an invaluable advantage and yet, she knew not where it was. The universe is harmony, as her father always said, and he was damn right. When you have left, the universe has the right – a balance – a perfect balance.

Alicia made a slow circle around the stone hedge. There was definitely a pattern, the one that contained the answer to this mystery. As she has learnt in her life – the simplest explanation is usually the right one. When you make something simple, people usually assume it's very difficult. So, what was the answer here?

All the people were trying to reach and take the diamond of the chest – all – well not all as Alicia observed. There was one that wasn't in the direction of the stone. He was standing before a block in the second inner circle. The block looked almost identical to the others but as Alicia saw it wasn't. There was a slight difference. It had a sign on it – the symbol of life or creation she wasn't that good at these things.

She pondered for a moment then started looking more closely at the blocks. Maybe there were other symbols. And luck was on her side – there were. On a block, diagonally opposite of that one, she saw the symbol for balance, on another again diagonally; she saw the symbol for death, then the symbol for knowledge. There were also four more symbols each representing possibly – wisdom, intelligence, witchcraft and infinity. All these symbols were basic symbols that could be found in many cultures all around the galaxy, and on Earth.

All symbols were placed in order, diagonally of each other thus forming a perfect rhomb and in the middle of the rhomb stood the four stones with the chest between them. To all hunters, the logical choice for the treasure would be the chest in the middle. But only for that man, the choice was a black block with the symbol of life. Why – Alicia asked herself – why?

And then an epiphany struck Alicia. The man was going after the torch or the way to the torch. He had passed the virtue tests of intelligence, knowledge, witchcraft but failed on wisdom, or maybe he passed only on intelligence as he had reached this place via the precipice, witchcraft when passing on the lake, knowledge as possibly he had solved the riddle but obviously not wisdom because he was as stiff as the others. Alicia wondered where he did wrong.

Maybe the order she is thinking of isn't the correct one otherwise this man won't be frozen like the others. 'Yeah, I'm possibly very wrong,' Alicia thought. 'But there is something here, I can feel it'.

The order of the symbols reminded Alicia of the symbol of infinity – anything is possible with the infinite possibilities. So, what was the simplest explanation? Most of the people were going for the treasure in the chest. One was going for the block but he possibly passed by the chest or answered wrongly or made the wrong choice – yes that was it – the wrong choice.

Vala was observing Alicia very carefully. She did not interrupt her search. She also had suspicions of what had happened here. It appeared to be a test zone where all qualities are tested and judged. And then she saw Alicia who stepped before the symbol of infinity, and understood it at once. They will have to make a choice. That choice won't be a pleasant one – Vala was certain of that but they'll have to make it anyway so Vala stepped before the symbol of witchcraft.

* * *

Alison and Terol were observing their friends with curiosity but had no idea what they were doing exactly. They were still shocked of the sudden petrifaction of their friend and colleague – Dusty. As they saw Alicia move towards the one of the blocks their hearts stopped. They feared the same fate will befall their leader but nothing happened then Vala moved to another stone. They both appeared to be waiting.

And Alison understood what. They were waiting for them to pick a stone but which one. Terol had noticed that Vala and Alicia were standing each before a stone with a symbol and guess that they would have to do the same.

"Which one would you pick, Alison?" – Terol asked.

"I don't know." – The terrified Alison replied. "Alicia?"

"You must choose on your own." – Alicia replied.

"Very comforting, boss." – Terol retorted.

"I know but this is what it is all about – a choice."

"The choice, we must all make." – Vala added. "We have to figure it out on our own."

"Great, this is even more less than helpful." – Terol exclaimed.

"Yeah," – Alison agreed. "You two have figured it out already."

"Alright," – Terol said. "When we must make a bad call, we must."

And she picked the symbol of death. Alison, terrified, knew not what to do. She calmed her breathing and tried to think clear. Alicia stood before infinity, Vala before witchcraft, and Terol before death (no surprise there). And in this very moment she wondered why Vala had waited for Alicia to move first?

And then it came to her like a thunderbolt revelation. When standing before the symbol of infinity, one acknowledges that anything is possible, which would include witchcraft or simply magic. When one stands before the symbol of death, one acknowledges that the path of death is simply part of life, part of the harmony, so the only thing that remained is what you gain when you reach this revelation – and it is wisdom. So, Alison stepped bravely before the symbol of wisdom.

What followed bears no description as the sensation of the experience can not be described. But the women saw a figure of light coming out of the block containing the symbol of creation and asking the question.

"What would you chose – the lives of your friends turned into stone for the torch of Helios or your death? You may choose only one. Which one would it be is up to you. But choose wisely."

The women stood still not answering. They were thinking over these words. They presented a bad worse situation where the prize was no prize at all. And Alison answered first.

"I choose death for myself!"

Terol looked surprised at Alison. She was the doctor – the one that has sworn an oath to life and yet, she was the one that chose death. Terol was a soldier and the concept of death is a constant companion. But they had to choose between their lives and the lives of their colleagues in exchange of achieving the mission. 'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one,' Terol of thought of Star Trek's Spock words but came to realize that the opposite was much more valid and way more important so she made her choice.

"Death, I chose death for myself!"

Alicia and Vala were also going to make the right choice but were hesitating. But a question visited both their heads – were the lives of their friends worth less than the single artifact of Helios that could or could not help them – and the answer was simple.

"Death!" – Vala said.

"We shall not exchange the lives of our friends for the promise of an artifact we know nothing about; an artifact that may or may not be useful to us. But even if it was useful we will not trade it for them, for friendship is worth much more. No, we choose Death for us all!" – Alicia said last.

"Accepting death means that you are worthy of creation. Accepting infinity means that you grasp possibilities, which is the scope of universe itself. You may not grasp it entirely but this is how every journey begins. It begins with the first step – seeking of knowledge, continues with life and death, and enriches you with wisdom. You possess what needed is to fight the evil awaken. You chose wisely."

The figure then vanished. A thunder hit the ground. Darkness befell before their eyes. And the life slipped away from theirs bodies, as death took Alicia, Vala, Alison and Terol.

* * *

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**Lordheaven**


	8. Unexpected guests

_**Disclaimer: The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**_

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Unexpected guests**

_Previously:_

_The figure then vanished. A thunder hit the ground. Darkness befell before their eyes. And the life slipped away from theirs bodies, as death took Alicia, Vala, Alison and Terol._

And now…

* * *

Dusty felt free of her stone prison. It was the most horrible experience she had ever had. She opened her eyes and noticed she was still before the chest in the middle of the Stone Hedge.

"Alicia!" – She called but there was no answer.

She stood up and looked around. Her look fell on Alicia and in that moment her heart stopped.

"NO!" – She barely whispered.

She bent down to her leader and touched her pulse – there was none and then she noticed Vala and Terol's bodies. She dared not look for Alison dreading what she would see. But it was true. She let out a cry of despair and out of the effort and of the sight lost consciousness.

Some time later, she felt someone pulling her up. She opened her eyes and saw the very distressed face of Colonel Mitchell. He had bruises all over his arms. He must have jumped across the precipice.

"Sergeant Mehra, what happened?" – Cam asked, his voice trembling.

Dusty told him everything till she reached the part where she was petrified – turned into stone. She spoke very little about this experience.

"And then," – Dusty continued. "I woke up and found them like that – dead." Tears ran down her face. "Oh, my God – they're…they are…" She couldn't repeat that word given that she was as good as dead when she was petrified.

"Shh, calm down." – Cam took her in his arms, gently petting her on the head, calming her.

"I can't believe it." – Dusty hiccupped.

Cam did not bother say anything. It was too much for him too. When he heard Dusty's cry of despair he went berserk. He jumped off the cliff and barely made it then he hurried to them. But when he arrived he stopped frozen. He couldn't believe his eyes. He ran to Vala but she had no pulse. Then he checked the others – they were just as cold as Vala and dead.

This time the bodies were present but he knew not whether he had the strength to burry them. But it was something he had to do. He simply can't leave them like this.

"Come on." – He said to Dusty. "We have to…to…them."

Dusty sniffed her eyes still red of tears but nodded. She stood slowly up.

"Where are you going to…?" – Dusty asked.

"Not here anyway." – Cam said. "Stay here, I'm going to look around."

Cam moved out of the circle and followed the path, which now present led outside the gorge. Soon, he reached a hill of fresh, aromatic grass. It was perfect. He returned to Dusty. Together, they brought them to the hill.

Cam picked up the shovel and dug four graves. The effort of digging helped him dull the pain. It also cleared his mind. Now, they had to finish the quest alone. He wished only he knew why they were dead but he guessed he's going to receive an answer just as much as he knew why SG-1 died. No, he said to himself, those thoughts must be banished. Hope must die last.

"Nothing else matters!" – Cam whispered more to himself than to Dusty who was crying silently while wrapping the bodies of her friends.

"It's time." – She barely said.

With Cam's help they placed the bodies into the graves. Dusty then looked expectantly at Cam.

"We must say a prayer."

"Yes," – Cam sighed, suppressing the tears. He stood before the fresh graves but couldn't say a word. They were stuck in his throat.

"Oh mighty Lord, receive Vala, Alicia, Terol and Alison in your arms and look after them, and…" – Dusty burst again into tears. She couldn't do it either but she had to. So, she snapped and finished.

They remained there for hours, maybe days they did not remember. They couldn't just abandon them. Cam thought best to bring help, and then give them a proper burial. But first, he had to find the torch otherwise it would have been all for nothing.

"We have to go on." – Cam said finally snapping out of the grief.

Dusty pulled herself up as much as she could and followed Cam.

Their path was going now down hill. In the distance, Cam saw a small building looking like a shrine. He though they would reach it in ten minutes but looks must have been very deceptive. It took them ten exhausting hours.

The shrine was small but neat. The walls were white with nothing on it except the altar where hanging above was a silver chandelier with four candles. Not knowing why, Cam lit the candles up. Seeing the candles burn, Dusty and he felt better.

They left the shrine and returned to the path, which was going now upwards. Cam took one last look at the shrine only to notice that it had vanished. He stopped.

"What is it?" – Dusty asked.

"The shrine – it's gone."

Dusty also looked back. He was right – it was gone. This would be another mystery but Dusty knew they had to go on.

"Let's go." – She said.

"Right," – Cam sighed.

* * *

The path took them up until they arrived before great marble columns. They led into a temple whose dome shined in white silver. They entered hoping finally to find what they were looking for.

Inside, the temple was bigger than it seemed from the outside. Its dome was high, maybe a thousand feet. The walls were covered in pearly white canvas with small painted, golden stars. In the middle they noticed four smooth and well polished blocks. But as Cam approached he noticed that they were not blocks – they were statues. Each was holding a torch. The torches flames were pure yellow fire with no smoke.

"Which one is it?" – Dusty broke the silence.

"I'm not sure." – Cam hesitated. He somehow had the feeling that those were not what they were looking for. He looked around the temple. There must be some index where the real torch is. He noticed several paintings on the farthest wall.

The paintings were what he was looking for. They showed the real thing. The torch itself didn't look very special nor made of any metal but simply of wood. It was shown that it bore four symbols. They were the same as the stone blocks where the bodies of his fallen friends were, i.e. the symbols of infinity, witchcraft, death and wisdom. Each symbol was in different color. Infinity was in starlight, witchcraft in blue, death in black and wisdom in silver.

"Colonel!" – Dusty called. She had noticed something interesting too.

Cam also saw on the paintings the symbols individually and then together one by one illuminated thus opening a rift in space, which revealed the torch.

"Colonel!" – Dusty called again.

Cam moved away from the paintings and joined Dusty at the statues.

"What is it?" – He asked.

"Look!" – Dusty pointed at the torches. Each torch had a symbol on it. Now, Cam knew what to do.

He had to place the symbols in order and torch of Helios will be presented. But placing the torches in the right places proved to be much more difficult than Cam anticipated. He tried to remove one of the torches but it did not move.

"Maybe together?" – Dusty suggested.

"Yeah, maybe."

They pulled together. The torch gave in and they managed to detach it. Together, they pulled off the rest.

"Now to place them in order." – Cam said.

As he was saying it the grounds shook and pieces of marble began to fall as though the entire temple was about to collapse.

"And we don't have much time." – Cam remarked.

Struggling to stay on their feet, they placed the torches one by one in the order Cam saw in the paintings. The shaking stopped immediately after the last torch was placed. They stepped back in anxiety.

The torches' flames intensified to a point of blinding light. A rift opened in the space between the four statues. A console rose up from the ground right in the space between the statues. From the rift something fell and stood right atop the console. The light then vanished.

Cam and Dusty moved towards and gasped in disappointment and amazement. On the console stood not the torch but four diamonds, each containing a silver ring inside. Cam stretched his hand and took them.

"Diamonds." - He sounded disappointed.

"We must have done something wrong then." – Dusty said.

"Probably." – Cam agreed.

He was about to return the diamonds to their place and try moving the torches again when the four statues distorted and crumbled into pieces, the four torches alongside. The temple walls started to shake again.

"Argh," – Cam growled with frustration. "Let's vacate this place before it falls on our heads."

They exited the temple as quickly as they could. Once outside, they saw the temple fall in a cloud of dust. The marble columns followed shortly after.

"Damn it!" – Cam couldn't resist shouting.

* * *

As the cloud of dust cleared, they saw rambling stairs. Brought with hope, they climbed the stairs. But it was not what they were hoping for. They emerged near the statue of Helios and the path behind closed so quickly they did not have the time to return. The way back was shut.

Cam and Dusty looked at each other and ran towards the entrance, to the path of Athena where they began their journey only to find that it was gone too. Crestfallen, they returned to the statue. There was nothing more they could do.

Cam sighed deeply. Yet another mission has gone wrong. Now, they had to leave this place where they lost Vala, Alison, Terol and Alicia. He was now truly alone. But he had to continue his mission – seeking the answer to the mystery. He had to do it for those he had lost.

He and Dusty packed everything, prepared the interceptors for flight and left the paradise planet, which became their hell. As they were approaching the tunnel system, Dusty voiced her concerns.

"Colonel, how are going to go back?"

Cam did not answer at first as he had asked himself the same question. But he held the hope that there is a dialing device near the gate.

"There is a dialing device near the gate." – He said.

"Are you sure?" – Dusty asked a bit skeptically.

"Yes, I am." – Cam lied but hoped to be right. "After me!"

Cam dived in. The way back was much more difficult but with diligence they found their way back to the gate. As they made the last turn, they gaped. The gate had somehow moved closer from the point where they came in and it was already activated. There was no time to react as they crossed through the event horizon.

They emerged on the other side, the point of origin. The moment they crossed the gate shut down. Cam looked just in time to see the gate vanishing too and rocky fragments falling off the cave ceiling.

"Sergeant, we have to get out quickly." – Cam said.

"I notice that." – Dusty remarked. "The whole place is going to hell."

They turned their interceptors and made their way in between the falling rocks. Soon, they emerged from the underground system and headed straight to space.

"Achilles, this is Mitchell. Do you read?"

"Colonel, we read you loud and clear." – Colonel Reynolds replied. "What happened? Why do you return so quickly?"

"What are you talking about?" – Cam asked.

"I was told you went through the gate just sixteen minutes ago."

"WHAT?" – Cam exclaimed utterly surprised.

"That's impossible, sir." – Dusty interjected.

"Colonel Reynolds, look." – Someone on the bridge spoke.

"Oh my!" – Reynolds exclaimed totally baffled.

"Colonel!" – Dusty exclaimed too while looking back at where the planet was.

Cam looked too and gaped. The planet wriggled, distorted and vanished without a trace leaving empty space.

"NO!" – Cam shouted frustrated and hurt towards the universe.

Now, there was no way of ever finding Vala, Alicia, Alison or Terol. They were gone for good. As the planet vanished, a ripple crossed space hurtling the Achilles into incontrollable spinning. The interceptors were also affected and it took Cam and Dusty some time to take hold of them again. The Achilles also managed to stabilize.

Cam and Dusty returned to the ship where Cam made a quick debriefing. The grief on the ship was indescribable. Major Vega and her team were loved deeply by the crew. Colonel Reynolds held a memorial service on the insistence of Dusty and Cam. Then the ship jumped into hyperspace heading back to Atlantis.

* * *

At this time, on Atlantis, Rodney was making his routine checks on Atlantis' systems in the control room when the systems went berserk. Every single reading of the consoles was off the scale. And then even with the shields activated the city was tossed into the air like it was a toy with such force that it knocked down all personnel. Everything turned upside down and then with loud thump the city crashed back into the ocean surface.

At the impact, the city shields held but several of its structures did not. The city's outer piers were ripped, while other parts of the city were torn. Rodney, at the moment the city was tossed, was jettisoned to the ceiling and then back to the floor. He lost consciousness the moment he hit the ceiling.

An hour later, he regained consciousness. He opened his eyes. The city alarms were wailing. Rodney tried to stand up but couldn't. A piercing pain crossed through his left shoulder and right leg. He managed though to sit up despite the pain.

"Dr. McKay!" – Someone called. Rodney looked around and saw Chuck.

"Chuck!" – Rodney said with difficulty.

"Sir, what happened?"

"I have no idea." – Rodney shook head. "McKay to med bay, we need you up here, stack."

"They can't reach us, Doctor." – Chuck said.

"Why not?"

"Communications are down and the city has initiated emergency lockdown." – He explained.

"Oh, hell." – Rodney blurted out. "Then you will have to get me up to the consoles so I can determine what the hell happened, and to override the emergency protocols so to get everyone the medical help they need."

"Sure, Doctor." – Chuck said, standing up.

He helped Rodney to a chair before one of the city's consoles, and gave him the fallen pad. Rodney started to work immediately.

"There is damage on the outer piers of the city." – Rodney informed few minutes later. "It looks like it was from the impact."

"Yeah! It's a miracle we landed on our bottom." – Chuck observed.

"You mean – it's a miracle the shields held otherwise we'd have been very dead." – Rodney corrected him sarcastically.

"There is also damage on the long range communication's array and the long range sensors." – Chuck informed.

"There is damage all over the city." – Rodney added. "But the good news – well the only good news is that no one is lost and the base of the tower and the city is intact."

Ten minutes later, Rodney reestablished communication within the city. The doctors of Med Bay have survived with no serious injuries. Rodney managed to override the emergency protocols initiated by the city so the medical teams were now able to reach those that were injured and injuries there were – plenty.

Colonel Lorne reached the control room. He had been sent by the SGC on a specific mission to the Pegasus Galaxy.

"Dr. McKay, what happened?" – He asked as he was climbing the stairs.

"I'm still trying to determine." – Rodney replied irritated.

"Damage to the city?"

"There's damage all over the city." – Rodney said. "We're lucky, very lucky to be alive and in one piece."

"The most notable damage is confined to the outer piers." – Chuck inserted.

"Yeah, but for now, the damage is the least of our problems." – Rodney interrupted.

"What could be more important, Doc?" – Lorne inquired.

"How about – is what happened going to happen again?" – Rodney shot.

"That's a bit grim." – Lorne said. "So, is it?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out and if left alone I might actually be able to." – Rodney replied but then stopped as the pain in the shoulder came back.

"Doc, are you injured?" – Lorne looked concerned. "Lorne to Med Bay, we need a team up in the control room."

"I'm fine. I'll manage." – Rodney protested.

"Sure, doc."

* * *

Two hours later, Rodney was still in the control room. He had refused to be moved until his work is done. The only thing the doctors managed to do for him was to bandage his leg and shoulder, and give him a sedative to dull the pain. Chuck was assisting Rodney whenever he needed to be moved. For that, the med team brought a wheel chair to ease the movement.

Military base commander of the Atlantis expedition, Colonel Jordan was overseeing the search and rescue parties. There were people stuck in the areas that were torn and ripped during the impact. Hopefully, those areas were not flooding otherwise the people would have been already lost. Engineering teams were working around the clock and by dawn of the next day they rescued all trapped personnel.

In the control room, Rodney who was temporarily made base commander by the I.O.A until Richard Woolsey could return to duty (as he had left Atlantis before the disaster took place) was having hard time with Atlantis sensors readings. He was jogging between corrupt and lost data trying to identify the cause for the sudden loss of gravity and inertial dampeners that led to the city being tossed into the air like it was a fluffy toy.

"Rodney, you must rest." – Dr. Carson Beckett was insisting every hour or so.

"Carson, I'll rest when I'm done." – Rodney was replying irritated.

"At this rate, you'll be done in no time." – Carson remarked after his last visit. "You have a broken shoulder and leg…"

"They can be fixed later." – Rodney interrupted as he was on the verge of finally making sense of all problems.

"McKay, what's taking so long?" – Colonel Jordan asked as he entered the control room.

"If any would care to know, I'm dealing with astrophysics on a subatomic and subspace levels by previously unrecorded readings and scales." – Rodney blurted out. "And it would be best if people actually let me alone so I could determine exactly how deep in the you-know-what we are."

"You had almost half a day."

"Yes, yes and the last time I had to find a solution to dispose of the Replicators it took me eight days. This is way more complicated."

"You think we are dealing with the Replicators?"

"No, I was just giving an example of how complex our problem is."

"Would you care to give us the highlights while you are jogging into the domain of unknown science?"

"In time, I will." – Rodney retorted.

Colonel Jordan shrugged. He still had hard time adjusting to Rodney although he had been on Atlantis long enough. He just wished Colonel Sheppard were here. He knew how to handle Rodney at any situation.

"Can we at least dial Earth?" – He asked.

"No, not yet."

"Why not?"

"It would be because the gate is out of alignment." – Rodney replied.

"What?"

"Fancy that, eh! A single act and we have to wait for the brilliant doc to figure it out."

"Alright, doctor, I got the point." – Jordan gave up arguing with the good doctor though he could have ordered him.

"Dr. McKay, I've managed to restore the long range sensors." – Chuck informed.

"Great!"

"And I'm detecting something unusual." – Chuck said.

Rodney lifted up his head. "What do you mean?"

"Well, look." – Chuck pointed at the screen.

Rodney turned into the direction of the screen and gaped. Chuck was right there was something unusual. The sensors were picking up an object. The object though was not traveling into hyperspace but another level of subspace bearing a most unusual signature.

"What the hell?"

"Whatever it is it will emerge from subspace in less than two hours." – Chuck said while examining the data.

Colonel Jordan had come too. "What is it?"

"We can't be sure." – Rodney began. "But it could be a ship. The unusual part is that it is not traveling into hyperspace but some other form of space travel on another subspace layer."

"What other level?'

"I don't know." – Rodney shrugged. "When it emerges as Chuck said in two hours or so we could go and examine it then we'll know more."

"Oh!"

"I would suggest deploying several jumpers in orbit waiting for it to come out." – Rodney proposed.

"I agreed." – Colonel Jordan nodded. "But wouldn't it be best if cloaked the city until we are sure how they are?"

"Normally, I would agree but for now the shields will have to do." – Rodney shook his head.

"Colonel, would you take four jumpers, cloaked, into orbit?" – Jordan turned to Lorne.

"Sure." – Lorne replied and headed to the jumper bay.

* * *

An hour later, in the control room Chuck informed that the Achilles will be arriving within the next hour or so. He also dissipated the other bad news.

Rodney stopped working when he heard it. He couldn't believe it. And it must be admitted it wasn't easy to hear it. Just recently, they lost SG-1 and now Atlantis has lost SGA-1 who was loved by everyone just like SG-1. But Rodney had to resume work for their problem seemed to be much bigger than Rodney had originally anticipated. He even had suspicions regarding the origin of the unusual ship the city sensors were tracking.

The hour elapsed. The four cloaked jumpers in orbit under the command of Colonel Lorne were expecting their unexpected guests. Chuck just informed them that the object was very close now.

Colonel Lorne was about to reply when he saw it coming. The colonel and his men gaped for this was a sight previously unseen.

Through a rift in space bathed in starlight appeared a ship twice the size of the Achilles with tentacles tails joined at the end of the vessel. All readings suggested that the ship had bio components just like a hive ship though the sensors did not pick up any weapons. The ship itself looked more like a goliath, a beast – _a leviathan_ that has just jumped off the oldest legends and myths.

**To be continued…**

* * *

**And don't forget to review. It only takes a couple of minutes.** **Thank you!**

**Lordheaven**


	9. Caetus

**A/N1: In this chapter, there will be some surprises. The name of the chapter is in Latin to keep the interest (actually, my lack of ideas – writer's block. What can you do?), but also because of the sequence of events (as Caetus means meeting or events, which actually both apply). Enjoy!**

_**Disclaimer: The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Caetus**

_Previously:_

_Through a rift in space bathed in starlight appeared a ship twice the size of the Achilles with tentacles tails joined at the end of the vessel. All readings suggested that the ship had bio components just like a hive ship though the sensors did not pick up any weapons. The ship itself looked more like a goliath, a leviathan – a beast that has just jumped off the oldest legends and myths. _

And now on SG-Dread Knights…

The Leviathan whose name was Moya moved into orbit of the bluish planet. On the bridge as honorary captain stood Rygel the Sixteenth of the Hynerian Empire, and beside him was Chiana. They have arrived at this place after they had lost contact with the Commander who had gone on a reconnaissance mission hoping to locate his wife.

They were forced to initiate star burst as a Scarran Decimator had approached fast with the clear intent of destruction in their mind. For the last ten years, the hierarchy of the Scarrans had changed drastically and they were divided into two camps – those who were still loyal to Emperor Stalleek and those who were loyal to the new order of Ikarus. The latter had made alliance with an unknown race and were in the beginning stage of a new campaign of taking over the galaxy. And this act alone had initiated a civil war in the Scarran Empire. But it seemed that both sides were determined to locate and capture the leviathan and its crew.

As they were traveling in star burst, a shockwave of unknown origin had stricken and hurtled the ship. Their Commander had come near the ship when they had initiated the star burst but now there was no sign of him. This got them worried.

"Dominar," – Pilot called. "Moya is detecting a city floating in the ocean on the planet below."

"Good, Pilot." – Rygel said. "We can re-supply there. Chiana and I will take Moya's transport and reach the city."

"Meanwhile, Pilot." – Chiana inserted. "You can continue to look for…"

"We will." – Pilot said. "He can't be that far away."

"Good." – Rygel said and hovered upwards. He was about to leave the bridge when the ship shook. "Pilot?"

"The Scarrans, they've found us." – The Pilot shouted.

"Prepare for immediate star burst." – Rygel shouted in panic.

Moya initiated the procedure but the Decimator fired first disabling her.

"Pilot, are you there?" – Chiana called. "Pilot?"

"I'm fine." – Pilot replied. "But we were hit. The Scarran Decimator is firing again."

"Evasive maneuvers!"

"It's too late."

But as they saw they were not the target.

"The frelling Scarrans have fired at the city below." – Chiana said.

"We are receiving transmission from the Decimator." – Pilot announced.

"Put it on."

"Crew of Leviathan, surrender immediately to the Imperial Scarran Forces. All of the crew is to leave the leviathan, and head for this Decimator. Failure to abide will result into your destruction." – The crew recognized the voice.

"We are not there yet, Aknera." – Chiana blurted out.

"Actually, we are." – Pilot said sadly. "Moya can't initiate star burst."

* * *

Meanwhile just as Moya had appeared, in orbit were Colonel Lorne and his team.

"What the hell is that?" – Lieutenant Marcel exclaimed. "A wraith's hive?'

"I don't think so." – Lorne shook his head. "It looks nothing like one."

"Atlantis to Lorne, come in, Colonel." – Rodney's voice came over the radio.

"I hear you, doc." – Lorne replied.

"Ah, good, do not attack the vessel; I repeat do not attack the vessel." – Rodney said.

"Is it wraith?"

"No, I'm certain of it."

"Then what is it?"

"I can't be a hundred percent sure but I think it might be coming from a parallel reality." – Rodney's stunning answer was.

"A parallel universe?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Dr. McKay, sensors have just picked up another ship." – The very distressed voice of Chuck interrupted.

"The Achilles?" – Lorne inquired.

"No, I don't believe so." – Chuck said.

Rodney looked at the sensor data and agreed quickly. It has been only few minutes after the arrival of the first ship when the second appeared on scanning range, and it was coming fast.

A second rift in space opened and a very odd looking vessel appeared. It looked like the tripod of Neptune. It was twice as big as the Leviathan. It had silver spear like spikes and it was moving at high impulse. The vessel opened fire at the first one with ruthless diligence. Then it seemed as though it had noticed the city below and shot a cylindrical object towards the surface. As it reached almost two thousand meters above the city the object separated into twelve smaller objects and Rodney had just the time to identify them and react accordingly.

The nukes cloud cleared there was no sign of Atlantis but as Lorne and his team did not detect any rubble they naturally assumed Rodney must have cloaked the city.

"Colonel, we are intercepting some radio chatter." – Marcel informed.

"Let's hear it." – Lorne commanded.

"_Crew of Leviathan, surrender immediately to the Imperial Scarran Forces. All of the crew has to leave the leviathan, and head for this Decimator. Failure to abide will result into the destruction of this leviathan."_

"_We are not there yet, Aknera." – Another voice replied. _

"_You will surrender or you will be destroyed just like the city you were trying to reach." – Aknera's cold voice countered. _

The language was unknown but it did sound threatening. The voice coming from the Leviathan seemed defiant. But this wasn't very helpful.

"Who the hell, they think they are?" – Lorne blurted out. This ship came like out of nowhere starting to shoot at everything, even Atlantis. Lorne had just enough of it. Usually he was not the guy to lose his temper but everything has its limits. "Lieutenant, scan that ship."

"Yes, sir." – Marcel replied. The scanning revealed slightly better shielding on the aft section than the front of the vessel, also with heavily reinforced duranium hull with twelve weapon turrets and missile launchers. He reported this to Lorne.

"What is the status of the Achilles?" – Lorne inquired.

"There are in communication range, sir." – Marcel answered then paused. "We are receiving encoded transmission from Atlantis."

"What does it say?"

"Dr. McKay has apprised the Achilles of the situation. They'll be here within five minutes."

"Good, inform the good doctor that we have received his transmission. And that we are waiting for the Achilles."

* * *

The Achilles was just five minutes away when it received the transmission. Colonel Reynolds read the message a bit stunned. Then they listened to the intercepted transmission. The language was indeed unknown but Cam managed to understand one word and that word happened to be Scarran. It was because of the log he had heard.

"Oh, no!" – He exclaimed. "Colonel, we have a serious problem."

"Like?" – Reynolds looked at him expectantly. Cam patiently explained it to him and then they were interrupted.

"Sir, we are receiving another transmission."

"What does it say?" – Reynolds inquired.

"It is a distress signal. It is some five hundred light years away from Atlantis."

"What's the origin of the transmission?"

"It's…" – Lieutenant Merks said. "Sir, it is an Earth signal."

"What?"

"The systems are identifying it as Morse code."

"Morse code – transmitted through five hundred light years? That seems impossible."

"The carrier wave is unlike anything we know but it is definitely the Morse code."

"Very well, as soon as we take care of the current problem we shall render assistance." – Reynolds judged. "Send a reply transmission."

"We are approaching coordinates." – Merks informed.

"Drop us out of hyperspace and engage the cloak."

The Achilles dropped out of hyperspace and cloaked immediately. The sight of the two unknown vessels was extraordinary.

"Which one is the Scarran vessel?" – Reynolds inquired.

"That one." – Cam pointed at the Decimator.

"Scan the ship."

"Yes, sir." – Merks said. "The ship is armed with missile launchers and some form of energy cannons. It has minimal shielding on the aft and port sections. Sir, I'm also detecting small amounts of residual radiation."

"It must be from the nukes." – Reynolds observed.

"It would seem the Scarrans do not waste time." – Cam remarked.

"A tactical precaution I guess." – Reynolds said. "As in time of war."

"I think it would be best if we make ourselves known to the enemy." – Cam suggested.

"I happen to agree. Shields up." – Reynolds commanded. "We'll take a page of the diplomacy book."

"And if it doesn't work…" – Merks asked.

"Then we'll turn the page to the part saying shoot first ask questions later." – Cam answered.

"Open a channel."

"Channel open, sir."

"Unknown ship, this is the Earth battle cruiser Achilles, identify yourself immediately. Failure to comply will be accepted as an act of aggression and we will respond with the full force of our weapons."

* * *

At this time, aboard Moya the crew has detected the new ship appearing out of thin air. It was unknown to them.

"The new ship is transmitting a message." – Pilot informed.

"Put it on, Pilot." – Rygel said with authority in his voice.

"_Unknown ship, this is the Earth battle cruiser Achilles, identify yourself immediately. Failure to comply will be accepted as an act of aggression and we will respond with the full force of our weapons." _

Chiana exclaimed surprised. Rygel looked at her. "What?"

"It's English."

"What?"

"This ship is from Earth." – Chiana explained.

"But the humans have no space capable ships of this or any other size." – Rygel said.

"Pilot, contact the Earth ship." – Chiana asked.

"The channel is open."

You can imagine the surprise aboard the Achilles when they received a transmission from Moya in English. Chiana quickly explained how she was capable of speaking English and agreed to send the translated greeting to the Scarrans.

* * *

Minister Aknera was losing patience with the crew of Moya. But then his tactical officer informed.

"Minister, sensors just picked another ship."

"What? Where?"

"Two hundred metrons off starboard. It's hailing us in an unknown language."

"Is the Leviathan disabled?"

"Yes, minister."

"Then turn the Decimator toward this ship."

"We're receiving a second transmission – it's from the Leviathan. They say it comes from the other ship."

"Put it."

Minister Aknera listened carefully and a devious smile appeared on his face. They must have reached the commander's home world. Good, it would become a good, new addition to the Scarran Empire.

"Ordinance officer, prepare to fire!" – Aknera ordered.

Minister Aknera was so sure of his victory that he did not consider the possibility that he might fail as he knew nothing about the opponent's capabilities. His Decimator fired its frack cannons but the Earth ship surprisingly withheld the attack. Then they repeated their transmission.

"Increase firing rate." – Aknera blurted out.

This time, the Earth ship evaded their blasts. Then they detected four smaller ships that appeared out of nowhere. They launched odd looking golden objects, which penetrated the Decimator's defense screen like it was no existent.

"Minister, we have damage throughout sectors four and eight."

"How is this possible?" – Aknera was caught off guard completely.

"The enemy missiles penetrated our shielding. The enemy is ordering us to surrender."

"Nukes, fire nukes at them." – Aknera commanded hysterically.

The Decimator fired again. The nukes hit the target but did not manage to destroy the enemy's ship. Instead, the Earth ship turned around and fired. The Decimator shook violently. Explosions incurred all over the ship.

"Hull breach on all levels."

"Minister, we are detecting missiles from the surface."

"What? Where are they coming from?"

"Sensors just picked up the city that we…destroyed."

"Impossible." – Aknera said with disbelief.

The golden missiles had indeed come from the surface. Rodney had decided to join in the confrontation. The energy beams of the Earth ship cut the Decimator like butter.

Minister Aknera watched with terror while his ship was coming to pieces. He did not expect the enemy to be so superior. Those Earthlings were just as superior as the wraiths, their new ally.

"Get us out of here!" – Minister Aknera had ordered but it was already too late. The Decimator came apart before anyone could reach the escape pods. The Scarrans have incurred the Wrath of Atlantis and paid the price.

* * *

Rygel the sixteenth was watching with great surprise the firepower of the Earth ship but also with his usual dominion of pride. The Earthlings obviously had a few surprises down their sleeves. As the Decimator was destroyed Moya received a transmission from the Earth ship inviting them to the surface in their city.

"But your city was destroyed." – Chiana said.

"It's not the first time we had to fake its destruction." – Reynolds replied. "If you'd look you will find it where it was."

"Pilot?" – Chiana called. "Is the city still on the surface?"

"Yes, it is." – Pilot's surprised voice informed.

"We've been invited on the surface." – Chiana said.

"Then we shall go. Pilot, prepare Moya's transport for take off." – Rygel commanded.

Rygel and Chiana boarded one of Moya's transporters and headed straight for the surface. Their amazement grew as they saw the city. It was floating majestically. They noticed the greeting escort send by Rodney on the eastern platform.

Meanwhile, Colonel Reynolds after beaming down Colonel Mitchell ordered the ship to proceed to the coordinates of the distress signal they intercepted. The Achilles opened a window in hyperspace and vanished.

* * *

Rodney and Cam were in the control room when their guests arrived. They were informed that the transporter with which the guests had come to the surface was bio mechanical just like the ship in orbit. Their guests were Chiana – blue skinned and silvery-gray haired, and with playful look in the eyes and Rygel – the most stunning creature they've ever seen. He was barely taller than three feet and sitting a chair or throne that was hovering just at the height of Chiana's head. With them there was also a little robot looking bug with two antennas for eyes moving in every direction studying this new environment with childish curiosity.

Rodney stepped forward. "Welcome to the city of Atlantis. My name is Dr. Rodney McKay, leader of the Atlantis expedition."

But for Rodney's frustration the guests had stopped their gaze starring at Cam. Then for great surprise, Chiana exclaimed. "Crython!" And threw her arms around him.

Cam was to say the least baffled. It was true that he had heard that name but couldn't imagine the reason for this reaction.

"Crython!" – Rygel said too. "We thought we lost you."

Cam stepped back a few steps with defensive gesture. "I'm sorry who? You must be confusing me with someone else."

"Crython, what the Hazmana is wrong with you?" – Rygel exclaimed.

Rodney decided to intervene. There was obviously some misunderstanding. "Ah, excuse me. This is Colonel Cameron Mitchell, US Air Force." Rodney said pointing at Cam.

The guests stepped back staring back and forth between Rodney and Cam with growing surprise in their eyes.

"We are sorry for this." – Chiana said quickly.

"There has been some misunderstanding. It must be the stress from the battle." – Rygel said diplomatically. "I'm Dominar Rygel the Sixteenth of the Hynerian Empire." He flew a bit higher this time to show his title. "And this is Chiana of the Nebari. We are grateful for your timely intervention though we are surprised that your city is still intact."

Rodney and Cam looked at each other a bit baffled too. This little creature had an unusual ability to speak the language of the politicians. But it seemed he was who he says he was.

"Well, it's not the first someone has decided to destroy us." – Rodney said.

"This way." – Cam gestured towards the briefing room.

"The city of Atlantis belonged once to a race known as the Lanteans, our ancestors." – Rodney began. "They have built this city some two three million years ago when they had left Earth and headed out to explore the galaxies."

"McKay, I'm sorry to interrupt the history lesson…" – Cam interfered. "But we would like to know where are you coming from? We have never heard of your respected races."

"Ah, Colonel, I can explain that." – Rodney said before their guests could master a response.

"You can?" – Cam looked surprised at Rodney.

"Yes, I believe our guests are coming from a parallel universe." – Rodney's answer was.

This answer of course surprised the guests more than it did Cam.

"But it would be lie if I said I knew their point of origin." – Rodney said but seeing Cam's confused reaction added. "They were traveling into something similar to hyperspace when they were diverted to us. Atlantis detected an anomalous shockwave that tossed Atlantis into the air like it was a toy. This shockwave emanated from your last location and even penetrated subspace sending massive ripples through it. From what I can tell it would seem as strangely as it sounds that all parallel universes are now linked together. In other words, they are all intersecting. So any object traveling in subspace could have been directed to another universe. And this is how I believe our guests came to us."

Chiana and Rygel to say the least did not understand half of what Rodney said but they did understand that there is some difference between the place they were coming from and the place they were in now. And now they really missed Crython as he was the one that could actually understand what this doctor was going on about.

* * *

"Colonel Mitchell, Dr. McKay to the control room." – Chuck's voice interrupted.

Cam and Rodney exited the briefing room.

"What is it Chuck?" – Rodney inquired.

"Off-world activation." – Chuck replied and truthfully the gate had activated. "I have Major Jadeson who wants to speak with you. She says it is urgent."

"Put the Major on." – Rodney said.

Chuck pressed a few buttons and the major appeared on the view screen.

"Major, report." – Cam said.

Major Jadeson looked quite confused but not as much as when she saw Colonel Mitchell.

"Major, what is it?" – Rodney asked.

"It is difficult to explain, doctor. But I have someone here that would like to meet you." – Major Jadeson replied.

"Who is he?" – Rodney asked.

"He claims he is…" – Major Jadeson paused taking a deep breath. "He claims he is from Earth."

"Earth?"

"Yes, sir, but he has no clue how he got here."

Cam and Rodney looked at each other. They clearly sensed the confusion in the major's voice.

"Has he been searched?" – Cam inquired.

"Yes, all protocols are…"

"Never mind the protocls, bring him here with all his possessions." - Rodney ordered.

"Yes, sir. Jadeson out."

"What do you make of this?" – Cam looked questioningly at Rodney.

"I don't know." – Rodney shook head.

"What is this?" – Rodney turned around facing Chiana who was pointing at the gate.

"This is called a stargate. It creates an artificial wormhole that connects this gate to another on another planet." – Chuck answered instead of Rodney.

"Wormhole? Artificial wormhole?" – Chiana exclaimed looking at him strangely.

"Yes," – Chuck confirmed smiling at her then turned back to his console. "Sir, we are receiving Major Jadeson's IDC."

"Lower the shield."

Rodney and Cam went to greet the major and her team. Along came Chiana and Rygel. Major Jadeson stepped first through the gate followed by Sergeant Reveille. Then followed four marines between who was the new arrival, the new guest.

As they stepped aside, Rodney gaped. And he wasn't the only one. The guest was also starring with surprise. He was mid thirties with long black coat, leathered boots and shirt and carried an odd but familiar looking gun (actually it was a pulse pistol).

The stunning part about this sight was that this new arrival was dressed almost exactly the same way as Cameron. But this wasn't the only thing that was the same. This man looked exactly like Cam.

Major Jadeson stepped forward and announced. "This is Commander John Crython of the I.A.S.A."

Rodney who was still stunned by this sight also moved forward. "And this is Colonel Cameron Mitchell United States Air Force." – Rodney was pointing at Cam.

But Cam and John weren't paying much attention to Rodney or Jadeson. They were looking at each other with curiosity. For Cam it was not the first time he had met with a himself from another reality but it was the first time his other self carried a different name and position in life. For John this wasn't also the first time he was seeing himself although his other self was as original as he was but it was the first time he was meeting with himself from another reality that was so different from him starting from the name and finishing with being a military colonel in another galaxy!

* * *

**And don't forget to review. It only takes a couple of minutes.** **Thank you!**

**Lordheaven**


	10. The Commander and the Colonels

**A/N1: Here it is the next chapter. I'm sorry for the long delay but I had some problems with my computer and it took longer to repair so anyway…**

**Also – I've started a new story "Selleyra – The Queen of Dawn", which is slightly related to this one. In this story, Elizabeth Weir is taken to a distant galaxy where everything for her changes. Then she comes back to help the team in a time of dire need when the Pegasus is attacked by a dangerous species, which she had come across during her absence. **

**A/N2: The chapter is long but hey I thought you deserve it given the long delay. Crython, Mitchell and Sheppard lead the way into this adventure where they'll find some answers, and will be given clues for where next to go by the most stunning messenger. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: ****The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**The Commander and the Colonels**

The moon has just risen over a dark, grassy valley where the trees and bushes were casting unnatural shadows on the ground as two stooped figures were crossing. They were using every bush for cover while approaching the ugly bump at the end of the valley.

At close distance, the bump took the shape of a scary organic monster with windows and automatic doors. The two stooped figures reached near one of the doors.

"Ready?" – One of them whispered. The other one nodded.

The door opened silently and the two vanished inside this unnatural beast, which happened to be the corps of a landed wraith hive ship.

Running still stooped, the two figures moved silently from one corridor to another until they reached one barred space, which could be qualified as a brig. Behind the bars, on the floor, they saw something that looked like a heap of clothes. But with closer observation one would clearly see that it was regularly rising, which suggested that it might be alive.

"Rygel?" – One of the figures whispered. "Rygel?" – This time the whisper increased slightly but still no effect. The figure then raised his voice more persistently. "Rygel?"

The heap of clothes moved and from somewhere underneath a head appeared with very sleepy eyes. It looked at the direction of the noise (the voice) and while yawning exclaimed: "Crython!"

"Shh, don't make such a noise, Sparky!" – Crython warned, pressing a finger to his lips. "Where are the others?"

"How on Hazmana should I know?" – Rygel shot. "Get me out of here!"

"Sparky, shush!" – Crython said slightly elevating his voice again to calm him down as the other figure turned around making a clear gesture to make them silent.

"Someone's coming."

"Sparky, stay still and don't speak!" – Crython said as he and the other figure moved away from the bars and into a shadowy corner.

Towards the brig, from the other side of the corridor, a wraith soldier approached. He threw a look at the heap, which was Rygel, and looking satisfied (although it is difficult to tell given the mask on the face) moved away. But as he was walking away, a bluish blast cut through the silence and the soldier fell.

Crython came out of the shadowy corner and with the help of the other moved the fallen soldier there. Then they came back to the brig bars.

"Where is McKay when you need him?" – Crython's companion said but he found the right combination, which surprised him.

"Thank you!" – Rygel said as Crython helped him out.

"It's okay, Sparky." – Crython said. "Sheppard…"

"I know." – Sheppard nodded while taking out the life sign detector. They were the only ones in this sector. "Let's move. We have to find the others before someone finds Rigel's missing otherwise getting out of here will prove very difficult."

They followed the corridor with Sheppard in the lead. They had to move again very silently finding cover whenever possible; fortunately with the life detector this was way easier.

Ten minutes later, they reached a control console. Sheppard never learnt properly how to use one but examined it. The very little he had learnt helped him to locate at least two other prison cell in the area.

"This way!" – He said and took the right corridor hoping that the wraith wouldn't have spread his friends all over the ship otherwise it would take too long to find them.

They continued for five minutes before Sheppard noticed a dot approaching them. He made a signal to the others to be silent and took refuge in the dark corner. Guns at hand, he and Crython waited.

At the other side, a minute later appeared the shadow of a figure that was approaching cautiously and looked very familiar. Sheppard stared unbelievingly. He moved out of the corner.

"Rodney…?"

* * *

_12__ Hours earlier _

It was getting dark and the two moons appeared to be closer than ever to New Lantea, an illusionary effect but well placed, as the atmosphere in the briefing room was contributing to it. Never in the years spent in the Pegasus Galaxy nor since the stargate operates has anyone been on such a briefing as the one that took place in Atlantis' briefing room where the crew of Moya and SGs met face to face.

Richard Woolsey had been on many briefings, some strange, some odd but nothing like this one. He had never read nor thought possible that a group of people of different time lines would meet and their lives would so different. Yet, he was on the first such event.

The crew of the biomechanoid ship Moya – Dominar Rygel, Chiana, Noranti (who had descended lately from Moya to join her crew) were races no one has ever seen, yet they were quite interesting and intelligent despite the first impression. And then there was the human John Crython, John Crython who was the exact copy of Colonel Cameron Mitchell. But they were different – Crython was an astronaught for the IASA (something that did not exist in Atlantis reality) and Cameron Mitchell, a colonel of US Air Force (Cam has met before hand with himself of another time line but that oneself was like him a colonel and had his name but honestly nothing have had prepared him for this encounter).

The briefing took the entire day so for the group to be able to sort all things out. Moya's crew was briefed on the stargates and everything about them, and Crython then told his story, which was just as crazy as the stargates sounded to his friends.

"And then we lost my wife, Ayren. She had gone on a reconnaissance mission when Moya's sensors detected an anomaly reading but it was something we've never before encountered. Few hours later while we were examining her last known coordinates this strange shockwave hit us and brought us in your space." – Crython concluded.

"Hmm…" – McKay groaned while in full thinking state.

"Dr. McKay?" – Woolsey turned in his direction with an obvious questioning look.

"It would seem that two events are linked." – He answered thoughtfully.

"The two events?" – Woolsey inquired confused.

"The shockwave, we registered when it almost drowned us and the event that brought Commander Crython and his friends here. I think that also the previous event they detected is related." – Rodney explained patiently.

"Yes but how?" – Sheppard asked.

"I don't know, yet." – Rodney shrugged and turning to Crython added. "I'll need all data your ship has registered. And hopefully, we'll know where we stand. For these set of events are really odd. From previous SG missions we know that setting a charge through the event horizon of a stargate while passing through black hole realities can be merged or when a solar flare interacts with a passing one. But this is something unusual and different and needs much more careful examination."

"But you said they were coming from a parallel universe." – Sheppard reminded.

"Yes, I did." – Rodney retorted. "But it needs careful examination, not to mention that I have to know how it happened so we could see if he can reverse its effects. You can imagine they would want to return to their universe."

"Yes but…"

"John, the universe is a balance, a carefully observed balance."

Sheppard looked at Rodney with nothing but confusion as Rodney was again starting to speak in his tongue that no one understood.

"What I mean is that everything is balanced. Now if this balance is distorted it would become a serious problem. It could destroy the universe. And…"

"Well, this is what you had to say – universe destroyed." – Sheppard cut him off.

"Always the simple explanation, huh?" – Rodney said irritated.

"Yes, it spares you the headache." – Sheppard smiled.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure Dr. McKay will look into it." – Woolsey intervened. He had already got the knack of cutting off these two before their tirade takes over.

"I shall provide you with the necessary data." – Crython nodded.

"In the meantime, I invite to enjoy Atlantis' hospitality." – Woolsey added.

"Thank you!" – Moya's crew said.

* * *

What a sight to the Atlantis members were Moya's crew you can't even imagine for many races had visited Atlantis but none as much interesting as these. Everywhere they went heads turned.

The floating in the air, Dominar Rygel attracted much of the attention. He was small, no more than a meter high but with a majestic aura around him. The ever inquisitive Chiana whose innocent and childish looks was so cute. And Noranti, the three eyed alien as many dubbed her, was also very interesting. Her knowledge of plants and their properties was most impressive and useful.

And then there was the most stunning sight – Mitchell and Crython walking side by side. They indeed looked so identical that it was difficult to tell them apart except for the weapons they carried – Mitchell's Zat gun and Crython's pulse pistol.

The tour of Atlantis for Moya's crew was most interesting and informative, not to mention that Chiana discovered a room the others have not yet seen (I mean Chiana is Chiana – she always finds something) but we aren't going to speak of it for now. Then they headed for a tour on Moya (so to meet pilot as well who for obvious reasons can't make the tour of Atlantis).

"You have a most impressive ship, Commander." – Mitchell shared while they were on the bridge.

"Thank you! Your city and ships are just as impressive, even more." – Crython said.

"Well, we're in constant war. To be honest I envy you. I envy you for the freedom of just exploring."

"Hmm, this freedom was short lived. I thought they had come back to their senses but apparently I was wrong." – Crython said sadness in his eyes.

"You said that you convinced them by the means of a terrible weapon."

"Yes, I did but I can't reproduce the effects of it and even I could I wouldn't."

"You didn't say what kind of weapon it was…"

"I'm sorry, Colonel. I have no desire to speak about it. Suffice to say it was terrible. It is the kind of weapon, which you never want to see ever again."

"I see. I'm sorry. I didn't want…"

"To learn what it is so you could use against your enemies…" – Crython finished his sentence. "I understand that it is your mandate to acquire alien technologies, mostly weapons but trust me this one is too terrible. And it should never be used, ever again."

"I didn't want to sound…"

"It's perfectly understandable. You see the Peace Keepers and Scarrans have been chasing my ass for five years all over the galaxy trying to get their hands on my knowledge but when they finally got to see it they were terrified as well. That's why I didn't say what it is. I don't need something like that in your universe although I do not possess the knowledge anymore. The Ancients of my universe finally removed it so I could have peace and quite. Unfortunately, it became clear that the Scarrans could not be trusted to uphold the peace treaty."

"Well, apparently they met with our enemy here – the Wraith."

"What?"

"Yeah, I don't know how it happened but this is what the log of D'Argo Crython says."

"WHAT?" – Crython exclaimed, expressing total shock.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention this one. Come with me." – Mitchell said.

"My son…but that's impossible. He is on board Moya." – Crython exclaimed. "Pilot, where is my son?"

"He's in his quarters."

"Commander?" – Mitchell exclaimed but Crython has already turned right onto the next corridor and willy-nilly Mitchell had to follow.

They reached Crython's chambers and there on the floor a ten year old boy was playing with a miniature toy shuttle. Crython however did not relax. He wanted to touch him to make sure he's really here for he had a bad feeling. And he was right. The moment he wanted to shuffle through his hair his hand went right through it. The child smiled and vanished. Crython was at loss of words and only the expression on his face said it all.

There they stood in silence then with great difficulty Crython turned to Mitchell.

"Where is my son?"

Mitchell raised his hands in defence. "I'm not really sure but I have to show you something."

And he led him back to the city where the Farscape module and the two interceptors were. On one of the interceptors, Mitchell pressed a button and the log was played once more. Crython listened in silence.

"The team back on Earth determined that the temple around which we found the crafts is almost five thousand years old. And it is with great surprise that we understood that your ships have endured so long there without a scratch. We speculated that they were protected somehow though how we don't know. But apparently your son and this girl I would assume have crossed through a wormhole that led them straight here, straight into our universe, five thousand years ago."

Crython was listening to Mitchell but there was something that wasn't making any sense.

"But how? My son is only ten years old."

"I do not know the answer for this."

"I might." – Rodney interfered.

Both Mitchell and Crython turned into the direction of the door where Rodney stood.

"I've been examining the crafts since Colonel Mitchell brought them to Atlantis and I discovered something unusual but I didn't have time to confirm it. The crafts bear a residual energy signature that oddly coincides with two others – one carries chronotrons for better choice of words and the other one is consistent with the shockwave that brought you here."

"Chrono – what?" – Mitchell exclaimed.

"Time travel." – Rodney answered. "As these events are connected on a level previously unseen. I can speculate that your son was propelled in time while he was travelling through a wormhole and then inexplicably shot backwards in time of our universe. So when he arrived here, he must have been already an adult. Why, I don't know."

Crython was listening intently to Rodney's explanation.

"While he was in the wormhole if he was to be hit by the shockwave could that have transported him back in time?" – He asked after a while.

"Ah, well, it is possible. However, we know almost nothing about this shockwave or its properties while interacting with wormholes." – Rodney replied a bit stunned of Crython's question. "We don't know why this has occurred in the first place. I think an after-effect must have taken place before the actual action had occurred."

"You refer to a parallax effect?" – Crython asked.

"Yes, indeed I do." – Rodney replied still stunned. It would seem that Crython was speaking Rodney's language.

"Excuse me, would you care to let me in?" – Mitchell interfered for he had understood nothing of their babbling.

"A parallax paradox is when you see the result of an action that has not happened yet." – Rodney explained.

"What?" – Mitchell did not understand a single word of it.

"How should I put it?" – Rodney pondered. "Alright, colonel, you remember the mission where colonel Sheppard was trapped inside the Ancient ascension zone."

"Ah, yes," – Mitchell thought for a while. He had read that report. "Where he spent six months or something while on the outside had passed only six hours…"

"Yes. Now imagine Colonel Sheppard seeing himself on the other side of the time barrier while he is still standing in front of it."

Mitchell's grey cells were processing the image. "Ah, I see now." He finally understood Rodney. "And you think this is what happened to…"

"Yes." – Rodney cut in.

"So this refers to the shockwave?" – Mitchell asked.

"Yes, I believe so."

"What about the chrono something?"

"Well, I don't know and it is still a speculation."

Crython was about a question when Dr. Radek Zelenka came in hastily. He looked straight into Rodney.

"Rodney, we are picking up something unusual."

"Define unusual!" – Rodney answered back.

"Well, you'd better come and see. I'm a bit at a loss." – Radek indeed looked confused and lost.

"Which is not something unusual." – Rodney muttered under breath so only Radek could hear him.

They arrived in the control room where Rodney sat immediately at the monitors that have registered the 'unusual' event. Crython who was always inquisitive about these sorts of things joined him.

Rodney stood silent several minutes more than Mitchell was used to but then Crython spoke instead of Rodney.

"It is a highly dispersed energy signal transmitted on low level frequencies through subspace."

Rodney looked up to Crython. He was pleasantly surprised that Crython before actually spoke his language and he was now convinced of it. Finally, he had found an equal to talk to.

"Yes, indeed it is." – Rodney confirmed. "But it is strange nonetheless. It has almost the same properties as the energy signature of an open gate."

"How come?" – Mitchell inquired.

"Well, we can not detect an activated gate wherever it might be, even if it is the closest to us." – Rodney explained but elaborated further. "I mean we can't detect an incoming wormhole to our gate or any other in the galaxy. But this reading suggests an activated gate, well, at least the energy it's emitting while receiving an incoming wormhole. And this qualifies as strange and unusual."

"Yes, as usually, you see the Atlantis sensors are not calibrated nor that sensitive to detect an event such as this." – Radek added.

"But this is transmitted through subspace, isn't it?" – Sheppard asked. Rodney turned around. He had not seen him coming. He was concentrated before the monitor at the time.

"Well, it is."

"Can you pinpoint its origin?" – Crython asked.

"Yeah, that's easy." – Rodney said, pressed a few buttons and a dot appeared on the screen. It was on the far edges of the Pegasus, a place where no Atlantis team had ever gone before.

"Is this on the list of gate addresses?" – Sheppard inquired.

"Let me just check." – Rodney said calling up the gate address directory. "Well, strangely it is but we've never been there."

"Well, in this case, let's go and see." – Sheppard said excited.

"Er…colonel, don't you think you could ask me first?" – Richard Woolsey who had just arrived in the control room asked.

Sheppard just smiled but answered. "Yeah, sure, can we?"

"What do you expect to find?"

"Well, the reason for this unusual energy reading. It could be a new power source."

"Or a well laid trap." – Woolsey added.

"Well, we follow protocol – sending the M.A.L.P. first and if it is okay, we go, again according to protocol."

"Yes, colonel but the MALP will not confirm if it is a trap."

"Well, obviously not. But if it is viable then we will take a Jumper and will have all the necessary protection."

Woolsey looked at Sheppard intently for a minute but gave in. "Alright, you can proceed – tomorrow morning."

"I think we could benefit from Commander Crython's expertise." – Rodney added.

"I guess we could take Rygel with us. He has a knack of finding things just as much as Chiana." – Crython suggested.

"Well, this should be interesting – the first Inter Universes Team." – Sheppard smiled. "Colonel Mitchell, you are coming too?"

"I wouldn't miss for the world. It is an occasion."

"Gentlemen, should I remind you that this might turn badly?" – Woolsey cool intelligence kicked in again.

"Mr. Woolsey, why always the pessimist?" – Mitchell asked with a smile.

"It's called realism, Colonel .You are walking into the total unknown. I would prefer that our guests remain here."

"And in any other case I would agree with you but our guests have certain useful abilities which would be a bonus in this mission." – Mitchell countered.

"And why this mission?"

"Well, I can answer that." – Rodney cut in. "The energy signal we are detecting might be closely related to the…to all previous events."

"How come?" – Woolsey inquired.

"Well, according to Atlantis' sensors, it appeared almost at the same time as the last disturbance." – Radek answered instead of Rodney.

"And why are detecting it now?"

"Well, we did detect it. We just did not pay attention at the time."

"Well, this is what you had to say in the first place. Why does every conversation has to be so complicated?" – Woolsey exclaimed frustrated.

"I've been asking the same question all the time…" – Sheppard shrugged while Rodney gave him a dirty look.

* * *

The next morning (which was just four hours away from the night's talk), after the M.A.L.P. came with positive results about the viability of the planet, the 'inter universes team (or IUT for short)' as dubbed and led by Colonel Sheppard crossed through the gate.

They emerged into a stunning view, which was not immediately visible from the MALP as the gate and the surrounding trees were in a steep hollow. It became clear that the jumper was their only viable solution. The hollow was surrounded by a vast lake whose water was the color of ice though it was clear it was not ice.

"Is there land around here or is it only an ocean?" – Chiana asked.

"What's wrong with that?" – Rygel sounded offended.

"Well, we know you enjoy the water, Sparky but we'd prefer land." – Crython said.

"Rodney, the energy signal – where is it?" – Sheppard asked.

"Due south." – Rodney replied.

The jumper glided towards the south. After ten minutes of flight, the jumper's sensors picked up land.

"Right over there." – Rodney pointed.

"I see it." – Sheppard said.

"It looks like a building." – Mitchell noticed.

"And it is. Judging by its structure I'll say it was built by the Ancients." – Rodney observed.

The building just as many others built by the Ancients was enormous. It resembled a king sitting in his throne (except that the head of the monument, which as usual was missing).

"It might be an Ancient repository." – Rodney said.

"You mean one of those head sucking things?" – Mitchell inquired.

"Yeah one of those." – Rodney nodded. "General O'Neil had encountered two of those and…"

"We know, Rodney." – Sheppard cut him off. "But where is the signal coming from – the monument?"

"No, it is this building next to it." – Rodney pointed to a smaller building that was not visible at first glance.

The building was a large dome, which perhaps was only the top of the building; the rest must have sunk in the ground during the thousands of years (it was not something unseen). Sheppard landed the jumper in the nearby forest as a precaution (you never know when something would go wrong).

Once on the ground, the IUT realized that this was the whole building (there were no parts that might have sunk in the ground). Then again, it was a bit strange of a structure for the Ancients to build. The years however were reflected upon the building. Several liana plants have mostly engulfed its sides, having grown quite densely reminding the group of the old castle of the Sleeping Beauty.

Rodney had taken the lead, the scanning device in his hands. He ventured the front door of the building. He found himself in a large atrium. Its walls were covered upside down with the lianas and the floor was of polished stone that even after all these years was still perfectly shiny and dustless.

The energy signal was getting closer and as they moved out of the atrium they came in the largest circular room they've entered into. In the middle of the room, stood the most amazing sight they've ever seen. Surrounded by a circle of diamond tombstones each with engraved symbols that were illuminated in a strange almost moonlight, even ethereal glow stood an arc like gateway (which mostly resembled the gates of a cemetery). The arc was not empty. A faintly visible veil was folding under an invisible wind.

The arc was built of unknown material, which looked like a black diamond. It was also glowing as though it had an internal light making it alive. The arc was about fifteen feet high and as much wide. Before it, there was space where there was a glimmering web, which as Rodney discovered soon enough was a very sophisticated hologram display. It showed a large number of big and small objects moving closer to the arc, through and back from it.

The team stood dumbfounded before it for a good time. The sight was intoxicating and enchanting.

"What the hell is this?" – Mitchell asked finally regaining from the first shock of the sight before his eyes.

"Well, I don't know." – Rodney replied honestly. "But I will."

"Then get to work." – Sheppard said.

"I will stay and help out." – Crython added moving to Rodney.

"Good, Colonel, you and I better check the perimeter." – Sheppard proposed turning to Mitchell.

"Agreed." – Mitchell nodded in agreement. "Stay put until we return."

"Who can possibly come?" – Rygel asked.

"Well, if I'm guessing right these dots might be ships so we'd better make sure we're alone." – Sheppard replied.

"McKay, how long do you think you'll need to find out what this is?"- Mitchell inquired.

"I don't know. It might be a day it might be a week." – Rodney shrugged.

"I'll take the first guess." – Mitchell said. He had no desire to stay here for a whole week. "Stay put."

And he and Sheppard left the building. Then they separated each heading around the building to check if they were alone (for Mitchell had a bad feeling about this place).

* * *

While the big boys were doing their respective jobs, Chiana and Rygel decided to explore all the corners of the building (you never know what treasures you could find). Chiana was moving alongside a darkly lit corridor heading to west of the center circular room. It seemed that there was nothing to see but Chiana's curios eyes had a little special ability of spotting energy spots and soon enough she spotted one (the curios part was that she did not see the arc), which was coming from somewhere beneath the corridor. The energy spots had the most attractive (for her) glow – dark bluish. But how to get them?

As she reached the end of the corridor she noticed something that looked more of a hole than of an opening in the wall. It was actually penetrating the wall and covered in a hardened skin (you could say). The inside of the hole was indeed a bit gloomy but living on Moya such a sight is not something unusual so Chiana crept in. There were tentacles spread like a dark creepy web but Chiana was moving quickly among them. Soon she found her way down and reached near the energy spots. They were inside something that resembled a cocoon suspended upside down. There was a control panel (of sorts) with strange symbols some of which reminded her of those in Atlantis. But before she could examine them properly a bluish blast came out of nowhere and knocked her down. She lost consciousness immediately.

Rygel was hovering on the east side of the building. He had spotted other openings, which could be rooms full of treasure. He reached the first one and peeked in. The room was covered upside down with very odd looking objects. They looked like fishes out of the water though they were big and dark yellow with sort of tentacles instead of fins. They were arranged in racks. Somewhere at the middle of the room, on the ceiling Rygel noticed a retracting roof.

"Well, not so interesting after all." – Rygel muttered under breath.

He moved out of this room and continued his exploring. The next two rooms were almost empty – there were just a few consoles with odd looking symbols but they were not interesting. And then he found himself into the last room and that one was interesting (for him, of course).

"Treasure!" – Rygel exclaimed. "Come to Rygel!"

The room had again of these odd consoles though these ones were even stranger. They are all mostly looking like a tri-star. They numbered four. Three were empty but the forth was filled with three cylindrical objects that glowed faintly in orange yellow light. Rygel, of course, tried to remove one of them (quite unsuccessfully), which frustrated him but then he saw other curious objects. They were put on shelves. Those objects were of different sizes and shapes but all were diamonds and crystals (and very attractive to the greedy Hynerian nature). That is why Rygel did not hear the footsteps behind him. Nonetheless he turned around just in time and saw the ugliest creature he's ever seen (no actually he'd seen even uglier). The creature bore a mask and only his cold eyes peered at him. It was carrying a stick shinning at the back and finishing with a sting. The creature lifted the stick and a bluish light came out of it but Rygel's quick (and self preservation) reflexes moved him out of the way. The creature quickly understood that shooting down this being will not be as easy as it was hovering. Rygel adopted quickly the shouting mode for help as there was nothing else to do while evading the blasts. But soon enough more creatures came in and as he was evading one of the blasts another managed to hit him. He lost consciousness almost immediately.

* * *

Meanwhile, Crython and Rodney were making progress with the arc. Actually, it was Crython that noticed in the glimmering web other smaller dots that were actually stars. And Rodney quickly identified them.

"All right, this is odd." – Rodney exclaimed. "These readings…they don't make any sense. According the data here, this device derives power from the tombstones…no…damn…they don't…"

"I think the power source is in the arc itself and the tombstones are more like…like a keyboard…" – Crython said.

"Yeah, they are like the DHD on the stargate though I thought the symbols are constellations like on the gate." – Rodney agreed then as he crawling through the data he froze.

"What is it, doc?" – Crython looked up as Rodney was looking as someone that had a sudden revelation.

"This glimmering net is an actual hologram that displays a real time feed. This can only mean that this portal actually exists…not exists…oh my god!"

"What?"

"It is a projection."

"A what? A projection of what?" – Crython looked confused.

"The gates here project their image through subspace into open space where it opens a gate just like the ORI created a supergate. But this one is different for it is here the real control room so to speak while the true gate, the one that opens to somewhere, is at open space. It is amazing." – Rodney explained. "The Ancients created the stargates but through the stargates only people and jumpers could go through. Now with this, whole armadas of ships can travel, can go through gate…it is unbelievable."

"Are you saying that this arc here is opening a gate of some sort into space by projecting its coordinates and outlines…"

"No, not exactly, see it as a…, the real gate is the one here. However instead of placing it in space like the gates, the Ancients have placed it here projecting its effects into open space. It is like opening gate that could be controlled from distance."

"You mean like the event horizon of an incoming or outgoing wormhole appears not in the gate but in open space." – Crython said following his reasoning.

"Yes, exactly." – Rodney nodded.

"Well, in this case I have to agree with you – wow! It is amazing." – Crython exclaimed. "But is it a stargate like your stargates because this one has a very different form and every such occurrence is proportional to the size of its gate."

"Yes, I've been thinking the same. Now we detected it because of the event that brought you here. The shockwave spread the energy through subspace…"

"That's why the energy signal was so dispersed otherwise we wouldn't have detected it…"

"Unless we were really close." – Rodney finished the long sentence he'd begun. "Ha. It's very curios. It's almost like…"

"It's almost like we were shown the way." – Crython finished Rodney's thought.

"Yeah, strange. The readings, well, they are very confusing. Here, look at this." – Rodney showed them to Crython.

"Wow!" – Crython exclaimed.

"What?"

"Those readings are curiously similar to some of the data Moya collected of the first energy reading we picked up."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. It is very, very odd."

"Well, we'll have to check the data in Atlantis." – Rodney concluded.

"Yeah and…" – Crython paused in the middle of his sentence.

"What? What is it?"

"Where are Chiana and Rygel?" – Crython reached for his communicator. "Rygel? Chiana? Where are you guys?"

But no response came.

"I'll go look for them."

"Sheppard, come in Sheppard!" – Rodney called on the radio but only cracking noises. "Commander, I have no contact with the others."

"Is it possible this room is shielded somehow?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Alright, I'll go to look for Chiana and Rygel, and you go outside." – Crython proposed.

"Good idea." – Rodney nodded, taking up his weapon and heading outside.

* * *

Crython looked around and saw two corridors – one leading west and one east. He pondered for a moment and took the east one. He walked cautiously drawing his gun. A bad feeling crawled in him as he was approaching the end of the corridor. The lianas of the right side were very different from the ones on the left. And as he approached he noticed that those on the right side looked more like a skin, a hardened skin. There was a small opening in them. Crython took a quick peek inside. It resembled Moya after a devastating battle in a way with slimy ropes but living connectors just like on Moya. Something however was telling him to look in the other room where on the floor he saw Rygel's royal cloak (if we could call this way as it was very ragged). On the walls were visible traces of blast firing.

It would seem that his royal highness has been captured but by whom…suddenly it hit him – the Wraith. They told him that the wraiths are using organic technology that's why at first they confounded Moya with a hive ship. He had to find the colonels now.

Crython moving slowly out of the room made his way back to the circular room. Rodney McKay has not returned. Nonetheless, he spotted two shadows moving into the room. Crython found cover quickly behind a tombstone. He was ready to shoot when he recognized Colonel Mitchell and Sheppard.

"Colonels!" – He called appearing from behind the tombstone.

"Commander!" – Mitchell visibly relaxed. "We have a problem."

"The wraith!" – Crython said.

The other two were a bit shocked but nodded.

"Yeah, I just saw them taking Rodney away." – Sheppard informed.

"Yeah, and I saw Chiana in their hands too." – Mitchell added.

"And Rygel is caught by them too." – Crython completed.

"But how? Chiana and Rygel were with you in here."

"I can answer that. Follow me!" – Crython said and led the way.

At the end of the corridor they saw their answer.

"Great. They've invaded the building from underneath. Just great." – Sheppard grunted out.

And just as they were about to enter two bluish blasts shot from the hole. Fortunately they missed them by an inch.

"Retreat." – Sheppard exclaimed.

A second later, out of the hole, appeared four wraith soldiers that started shooting at them. Sheppard, Mitchell and Crython responded immediately. The four soldiers fell dead on the floor.

"Let's go back to the jumper." – Sheppard proposed.

But this was not as easy as it sounded. As soon as they reached outside, they saw other wraiths appearing and shooting from the hip at them. This unexpected event separated the three. The wraiths obviously not expecting to bump into three that run in three different directions were a bit confused but only for a moment. The wraith separated and headed after each one of them.

If the wraiths thought that they would catch the three easily as each one of them was alone they were certainly mistaken. These three were the best the humans had to offer.

* * *

Colonel Sheppard managed to take care easily of his pursuers for he simply ambushed them. Then he took out his life sign detector and seeing no one else proceeded to help his team mates.

Crython was having some trouble losing his pursuers for they were more than eight. He managed to kill at least three but the other five cornered him. He had found a suitable hiding place but the wraiths were advancing. He was shooting back but his opponents were moving to surround him. Fortunately at the last moment, Colonel Sheppard arrived. He shot two that were in Crython's back while Crython finished off other two. The last one was trying to escape but a shot out of nowhere struck him down. Soon the two saw his shooter – Colonel Mitchell.

"The jumper is inaccessible. The wraiths have surrounded it. I'm afraid we're stuck." – Mitchell informed still panting.

"We need to find our bearings." – Sheppard said.

"And to rescue the others." – Crython added.

"How long until Atlantis calls?" – Mitchell asked.

"At least six-seven hours." – Sheppard replied. "And the gate is inaccessible too. Without a jumper we can't reach it."

"And we can't return to the building either…it's crawling with guards." – Mitchell said.

"How many do you think are there of those?" – Crython asked.

"Well, it's either a cruiser or a hive." – Sheppard answered.

"So a lot…"

"Yeah, I'm afraid so."

"We need a plan." – Mitchell said.

"Let's go and find their ship then we could make a plan." – Sheppard proposed.

"Agreed." – Crython nodded.

"And we'll have to wait for the cover of darkness to approach." – Mitchell added.

"Indeed." – Sheppard agreed. "On the way here, I saw a small cavern."

"Hopefully with no bears inside." – Crython interjected and the other two chuckled.

The three arrived shortly at the cavern, which was not very big but it was enough.

"I'll take first watch." – Crython volunteered.

"Alright, wake me in two hours." – Sheppard said.

Crython took watch. His thoughts were frequently going to his son that has disappeared without a trace just like Ayren. Once he thought he might lose them at the hand of the Scarrans but back then he was playing the nuclear terrorist. And now…now he was lost in an alternate reality, an alternate universe with a himself (also explorer) but a military colonel and in another galaxy where the Earthlings had space capabilities and were fighting life sucking aliens. True he had met his share of abnormal aliens but this was a little too much. Colonel Mitchell (his other self) also had mentioned a crazy story in which he, a member of his team (that was now dead) and their other self had to find a way to stop an evil that was set loose. All the time the same story, team explores – finds evil – looks for help – defeats evil. But is it going to be that easy – probably no – it never is.

Crython's time elapsed before he could realize it. How time flies sometimes? He moved and woke Colonel Sheppard. Crython fell asleep at once though he wasn't that tired. But what happened in his dream state was mostly fascinating.

Crython opened his eyes. Was he sleeping or was he awake? He was standing in the most stunning environment. It was a misty ground and in the far corners he could see great columns of marble granite like spears slightly glimmering in silvery light. Crython quickly realized that he was not alone. He noticed the outlines of another, a figure that apparently was waking towards him. It soon became clear enough.

"Ayren?"

"No!" – The figure smiled.

"But that's impossible – you're…"

The figure made a gesture of silence. "I'm Vala, Vala MalDoran. You and Cam both need to go the memorial planet. McKay can find it in the Ancient database. You need to locate the Temple of the Axis."

"The temple of what?"

"The temple of the Axis – it will show you the way."

"But if you are Vala then where is…"

"Reach the planet and the temple and you'll get all your answers."

"Er…"

"When gone am I you shall remember me not only my message. Go the memorial planet and locate the temple of the Axis, the temple of the Axis, the Axis…"

Her voice faded as she vanished or was it he who was vanishing from the strange place. Crython woke up suddenly. Sheppard was nowhere around only Mitchell who also looked distressed. No he looked probably like him after a crazy dream. There was also a faint glow coming from Mitchell's backpack.

"What is that?" – Crython asked.

"What is what?" – Mitchell asked back.

"That glow…"

"What glow?" – Mitchell asked but looked at his backpack and the words were stuck in his throat. He opened the backpack and on the bottom he found four diamonds in which there were four silver rings. The rings within were glowing illuminating the diamonds, which now looked like small stars.

"This is very weird." – Mitchell said shaking his head as though he had suddenly remembered something. "I had…a dream telling me to go to…"

"The memorial planet and locate the temple of the Axis." – Crython finished his sentence.

Mitchell looked at him surprised. "You too, huh?" Crython nodded.

At this moment, Sheppard reappeared. The glow of the rings had gone almost immediately. Sheppard looked at them a bit confused and said nothing but. "Everything is clear."

"My turn." – Mitchell sighed.

"Two hours." – Sheppard reminded.

* * *

Two hours later, Mitchell woke the other two and they set on to locate the wraith hive ship or whatever they had. They reached very cautiously the temple but there was no sign of any wraith anywhere around.

"Let's be sure." – Sheppard suggested.

They entered into the temple and explored both the east and west corridors. The holes in the wall that were wraith tech penetrating the temple from beneath actually led to two control segments but there was nothing of importance there. Sheppard managed to determine at least the way they were detected. And before exiting the temple he made sure the little devices that gave away their presence into the temple were disabled. The segments led outside by separate outlets.

The three left the temple by one of those outlets and followed the obviously made path by the wraith. Ten minutes later, they reached an opening where they had to move extremely carefully as in the open space lay a dozen wraith darts guarded by two soldiers.

Passing around them, the three moved through the surrounding forest. They crossed it and there in the valley below them they saw their target.

"Just a thought." – Mitchell whispered suddenly. The other two looked at him. "If the wraiths have left the premises of the temple they might have left the jumper too. After all they can't fly it."

"Good thought." – Sheppard nodded. "I thought of that too. We have to have the means to get away pretty fast."

"I'll go and have a look while…"

"We find a way in and how things are."

"Making a plan as we go." – Crython added with a smile. It was his favourite time as plan A usually never works.

"Great. I'll contact you." – Mitchell said and vanished back into the forest.

"We can go." – Sheppard said.

"I'll wait for the moon rise." – Crython countered. "We do need some light going down there. Our flashlight will give us away."

And so at moonlight (as you recall in the beginning of the chapter) they entered into the hive and rescued Rygel. As they've done that they stumbled into someone else.

"Rodney…?"

Out of the shadowy corridor emerged the figure of Rodney. He looked a bit beat up. It seemed he had put some fight (which for Sheppard was a bit unusual).

"What happened to you?" – Sheppard inquired.

"Ah…well…I came outside looking for you and Colonel Mitchell but instead I bumped into two wraith. I shot at them and knocked one down. Then turned around and ran for dear life. I was hoping to reach the puddle jumper and seal myself in but unfortunately it was crawling with them. Hopefully I saw them in time, well sort of." – Rodney explained speaking quite quickly as though someone was after him.

"Sort of?"

"Well, I did not fall into their hands immediately. I swirled while shooting at them. Pretty soon however they cornered me and in a matter of seconds I lost my gun. A wraith came in from behind and shot me."

"That's was very brave, Dr. McKay." – Crython said impressed.

"Indeed." – Sheppard agreed. "Then what happened? How did you escape?"

"Well, they shove into a cell where I woke up several hours later (with a nasty headache)."

"Wraith blast." – Sheppard interjected seeing Crython's expression.

"Yeah, and following Ronon's example I remembered I had a small stack of little knives, which I used to open the door."

"You did?" – Sheppard interrupted again impressed by Rodney's ingenuity.

"Yeah, then I found the first control console so I could locate the others. I thought you're like me captured. While I was looking for other cells I stumbled on curios and disturbing information."

"Which was what?"

"Well, first the jumper…"

"They have it?"

"Oh, no, they are much cleverer than that. They've planted a tracking device."

"So they can find your city!" – Crython suggested.

"Yeah, I guess that's their plan. Anyway, and the second part is this is the place where they control the portal as we found out. What we did not know is that this thing is actually a transdimensional portal."

"So this is how they got into his reality!" – Sheppard reasoned.

"What?" – Crython exclaimed.

"As you remember from the log of the prowlers, the wraiths have made an alliance with the Scarrans." – Sheppard explained.

"Oh yeah, I remember – a horrifying idea."

"Well, we will help you there but first things first." – Sheppard said. "Rodney, did you locate Chiana?"

"Ah…yeah, there is another top priority cell…this way." – Rodney said and led the way.

Turning two corridors they arrived a really dark one where at the end two wraith guards were standing. With a well aimed shot, Crython put them down before Sheppard or Rodney could react.

Crython reached the cell and whispered. "Chiana?"

"Crython!" – Chiana squeaked emerging from the cell and jumping into Crython's open arms.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good. Now, let's leave."

"This way!" – Rodney led again.

"Just a question – if the wraiths have placed a tracking device onto the jumper – how are we going to get out of here?" – Crython asked.

"We go back – Rodney removes it and we fly away." – Sheppard answered.

"Yeah, provided we remain undetected." – Crython inserted.

And as he was saying it an alarming howl disturbed the silence.

"So much of being undetected." – Crython remarked.

They were just turning in a corridor when they saw the source of the alarm. It was Colonel Mitchell killing the wraiths coming out of the hangar bay. Sheppard run quickly and assisted him.

"Hi!" – Mitchell said. "Missed me?"

"Very much!" – Rodney retorted.

"Since we're at the hangars why not take one of theirs?" – Crython asked.

"Not a bad idea though you're all going to have headaches afterwards." – Sheppard said.

"Better to have a headache than to be captured." – Mitchell remarked.

"Alright stay here I'll go to…" – Sheppard did not finish his sentence as a wraith blast hit him and he lost consciousness. Mitchell moved forward and stunned the wraith as Rodney and Crython moved Sheppard back.

"Dr. McKay, come and show me how to fly their flyers!" – Crython said. "While Colonel Mitchell holds them off!"

Rodney moved to the nearest dart and opened it. Crython jumped in. Rodney explained as quickly as he could how the dart is flown (while still dodging blasts) and how to rematerialize them once they're free. Then showed him how to dial the gate and gave him the Alpha Site address. They couldn't emerge with a wraith dart inside Atlantis.

"Alright take position; I'll pick you up in a minute." – Crython said and started the dart. It lifted off, made a round circle and picked up the grouped group with a single beam.

The wraiths (realizing that their prey is about to escape) contacted to their ships outside the system while others got into darts and pursued them.

* * *

Crython had to admit that flying the dart proved to be much more difficult than it seemed at first. He had also to evade the blasts of pursuing darts. Nonetheless, the manoeuvrability of the dart was unexpectedly fluid. He managed to swirl the dart and get himself behind his pursuers who before could react were already flaming pieces.

Crython headed for the lake with the strangely looking water. He was almost near as he noticed that there are more pursuers. Then suddenly the gate activated. It was an incoming wormhole. He couldn't dial out. This was unexpected. But Crython's thoughts were running coolly. He rematerialized his friends and landed quickly the dart near the gate.

Crython ran to them and put them out of sight. As soon as he had finished, the whining sound of passing above darts whooshed. Some wraiths appeared in the opposite direction but were heading their way. Crython saw no other alternative than to fight (for laying low was not an option as sooner or later they would discover them). Crython took Sheppard's and Mitchell's C4s and headed back to the dart. He placed them in it.

He had just planted them when a blast past his head. He returned fire and broke into run back to the cover of the forest. The first group of wraiths reached the dart and then Crython detonated it. The explosion killed all wraiths within its range.

The wraiths obviously enraged came quickly after him but Crython was holding his position. His pulse pistol was cutting their ranks with fierce precision. But soon their numbers became overwhelming and the cover Crython was using was beginning to be insufficient defence.

As the situation was growing overwhelmingly desperate, Crython noticed the familiar faint glow in Mitchell's backpack. He opened it while dodging another portion of blasts that were very close of hitting him. Inside he found the glimmering diamonds. Suddenly he had an odd feeling telling him exactly what to do. He made every of his friends to be in touch with the other. Then he grabbed Chiana's hand while taking one of the diamonds in his hand. It was in this time when the wraiths came in from behind his cover tree and surrounded them. But then a burst of blinding light surrounded the unconscious group and Crython and before the wraiths could react they vanished.

Back in Atlantis, Richard Woolsey was getting worried. Sheppard and the others were overdue with two hours. He of course dialled the gate and tried to establish contact but no response. He dialled the gate again but this time it couldn't establish a connection. This had Woolsey worried. As he had predicted, something bad must have happened.

He was about to order Colonels Caldwell and Lorne to investigate with their ships when in the middle before the gate the air suddenly became strangely illuminated. Everyone gaped with astonishment and confusion. The light was glimmering in moonlight silver. Then without any warning there was a sudden burst and in its place appeared Crython and the rest of the group (still unconscious). Crython was still holding the diamond whose glow faded slowly (though enough for Mitchell who was coming around to notice it).

"Everything will be alright." – Crython said with an odd voice looking straight into Mitchell.

Then he shook his head and spoke with his normal voice. "Wow. That was a hell of a ride!"

* * *

**And don't forget to review. It only takes a couple of minutes.**

**Lordheaven **


	11. Memorial

**A/N1: Well, here it is the next chapter. It is not as long as the previous but it is still flowing nicely. ****Our heroes have arrived at an odd place where they will get some things cleared up and will gain some knowledge that will be useful for them later on. But I will let you enjoy it!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: ****The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Memorial**

Huddled among misty silver nebulas, almost to the center of the Pegasus, laid a solar system all inhabitants of the galaxy knew as Memorial. It was the only place in the entirety of the Pegasus where peace presided; a place considered sacred grounds. Its peace was respected by all species (whether they were friends or enemies – it was sacred to all).

Over the forth planet, in high orbit, a circle was floating. Suddenly it all became lit and in the middle a vortex of liquid light appeared. An object flew out of it and headed towards the planet (the object logically is a jumper that came through the stargate).

"Is this it?" – Sheppard asked skeptically looking around.

"Yes, it is, at least according to the Ancient database." – Rodney replied looking at his pad. "Head down to the northern hemisphere, right here." – And he pointed on the screen.

"Wait…" – Sheppard exclaimed. "I'm picking up a ship."

"Oh, ah…it's wraith – a cruiser."

"Cloak the jumper." – Mitchell suggested.

Sheppard looked a bit frustrated. "I've been trying. Rodney, what's wrong with the cloak?"

Rodney ran a diagnostic then looked up confused. "Well, there is nothing wrong with it but it is odd. The energy is flowing through but it isn't producing the energy field. It's like there is some interference."

"It won't engage." – Crichton said coolly.

"Why not?" – Sheppard inquired.

"In the database, the Ancients described this as a place of total peace where no harmful event can take place. So, as crazy as this might sound, I think that the wraiths are not a threat. They will ignore us just as we are going to ignore them. It is a place of peace." – Crichton said and added. "Though I can't believe I just said that."

"Yeah, I'm sure the wraith will agree." – Rodney remarked sarcastically.

"Well, let's wait and see!" – Crichton said amused.

"Sheppard, let's concentrate on why we are here." – Mitchell cut in before Rodney could reply.

"Alright, heading to the Northern Hemisphere." –Sheppard said and turned the jumper back to its previous course.

The jumper plunged into the atmosphere and for the great surprise of the entire the jumper met no resistance while making its entry. It was like there was no atmosphere. Yet, there was.

* * *

Sheppard landed the jumper in a hollow surrounded by the greenest of the green forest with trees of all species they'd ever seen (though they could probably swear the forest wasn't present while they were flying over this place).

"Wow. This is amazing." – Rodney exclaimed. "I'm pretty sure it wasn't here when we passed over."

"It is strange. I agree." – Mitchell said.

"Well, Rodney, where is this temple?" – Sheppard asked. He was a bit skeptical about this mission, which was based on Crichton and Mitchell's dream that someone told them to look for it.

"Oh, it is due north." – Rodney replied checking on his tablet.

"Well, let's go then."

"Dr. McKay?" – Crichton turned to Rodney. "I see a lot of wraith around us."

"Very funny." – Rodney made a grimace.

The wraiths indeed ignored the puddle jumper completely as Crichton predicted. They did not target them or approached nor sent any darts at them. It was as though they haven't even seen them.

The group (consisting of Colonel Sheppard, Rodney, Ronon and Teyla, which were not present on their last mission; Colonel Mitchell, Crichton, Rygel and Chiana) headed due north. All had different expectations for the outcome of this mission. The very little, they had read into the Ancients database was not enough to give them a clue what to expect. As always the Ancients were cryptic. But out of all the cryptic, they understood one thing. This place is very old and it was there before the Ancients came into the Pegasus.

The Ancient who really took the time to describe this place was no other than Janis (the time traveler as they'd dubbed him). But his description was even more confusing as it started like this: "I came to an edifice as though built by the mightiness itself. I walked among its great columns that have endured throughout time and as though untouched by it. And then…a sight unseen.

I saw a swirl of torrents and currents and in them faces like embers in the fire gently cracking then bursting away like ashes…."

(You can understand that this statement of Janis reveals a lot and yet nothing at all. But there is time to find out.)

The group passed by hills covered in a carpet of the whitest flowers imaginable and left the distinct impression of snow then followed a few that gave the impression of passing by lava flows (so red orange they were). It was indeed an odd place.

And there on the left, the contour of a mountain appeared as described by Janis. In his description they had understood that a jumper will not be able to reach the temple as it had ancient defenses and protections (as the Ancients themselves have lost ten jumpers in the attempts of reaching the temple by flying near it – everyone had to walk or as Janis had written it – "All lights extinguished as life leaves the body for one had to feel the ground and look for the ultimate prize not wait for it").

They headed towards the mountain following a valley of rainforests. The trees were unnaturally tall almost like the sequoia trees – two hundred and fifty three hundred feet but with enormous branches. If someone was to climb to them he could surely walk pretty safely for they were at least six feet wide. It looked almost artificially made (as made on purpose) for all that was missing were handrails.

Somewhere near the middle of the forest line the path they were following became wider and exited upon a glade. Here, they knew of Janis' description that they had to take the right path. But which one is the right path – is it simply the direction or the correct one. Unfortunately they were no directions or any kind of clue that could help them. Fortunately for them, of course, they had Rygel with them who could simply float over and locate the correct path.

Rodney gave Rygel the exact instructions of what sign he should be looking for and Rygel left. Slowly, he vanished out of sight while the others sat silently in anticipation of his return.

Meanwhile, Rygel had taken the left path, which led him back into the forest. Soon enough he was far out of the sight of the others. The trees here were growing very close one to another and as a result the branches were intertwined thus forming a complex web like labyrinth. And this was becoming a problem for Rygel for he now had to swirl around the trees branches, which now were not that high above the ground.

Soon it became clear that passing through this living maze will be a real challenge. Rygel, however, had not spotted the sign or signs he was supposed to see and he decided it is high time he returned to the others before he loses completely his way. So he ascended above all the branches as high as one ninety feet and hovered back toward the glade.

The trip back took him longer than he anticipated as he soon realized he was heading in the wrong direction so he had to go lower and follow back the path. He finally managed to return.

* * *

"You're back." – Crichton exclaimed relieved.

"I got a bit lost at one point." – Rygel said.

"Really? Did you find the sign?"

"No." – And Rygel told about that path – everything with the web of branches, the disturbing labyrinth, which made his advancement and return so slow.

"Well, it's clear. We have to take the right path as it was meant." – Sheppard concluded.

"I don't agree." – Crichton shook his head. Since the experience with the dream he had to admit to himself willy-nilly he had become more sensitive towards words and sentences full of abstract and somewhat deceptive concepts.

"Well he didn't find the signs." – Sheppard stood his ground.

"Yes, but…" – Crichton countered. "But Janis said – 'all lights extinguished as life leaves the body for one had to feel the ground and look for the ultimate prize not wait for it' – look for it is the punch line. We have to take the true path. This is what I believe he meant by the right path. You never take the obvious way for it is easier therefore full of unpleasant surprises. "

"Well, as I come to think of it I have to agree with him." – Mitchell said nodding approvingly. "Dominar Rygel said that it will be a challenge and if I have learnt anything about the Ancients is that everything with them lies with a challenge. Whether they took this idea from here or not, right now it is irrelevant but we have no choice but follow the truest path hence the left one."

"Very well, we jump into the jungle." – Sheppard signed defeated. He had no desire to argue this time.

"Rygel, lead the way!" – Crichton called.

Rygel took the lead. He did that reluctantly as he, truth to be said, had no desire of returning to that place given that he had to float at body height so to be in visual range. To lose someone in that area was unthinkable (well it would simply make things more complicated).

The others discovered the full meaning of a challenge. Rygel was right this place was a bloody labyrinth. Most of the times, they had to look for alternative passages as the first one lead only to dead-ends. Sometimes they had to climb up the branches so to avoid some precipices that appeared out of nowhere providing any further passage.

The battle, as Sheppard soon called it, with the living labyrinth took them about six hours. By this time, many of them were scratched and bruised, a lot. Some were even stuck in tiny holes or squeezed between tough hard branches, some of which looked more like lianas than branches.

And as soon as they left the labyrinth the forest resumed its previous state. The trees were back at the usual distances. It was as though that area was specifically made for a nightmarish passage.

They noticed that it was already afternoon, at least at decent places. Their walk continued for about two hours as the forest finished. There were no signs of it but suddenly they were simply out of it though the path, which was still visible, continued straight north.

The group rested for a while so to patch some of the scratches during the challenging part of their journey then they continued. And here came the part which no one considered challenging but which for all purposes was the most challenging (well not physically but spiritually as you're going to see. It is always after a challenge that you think you've passed with full grades when destiny presents you with something to shake you up).

* * *

Reaching over a hill, they looked forward and gasped, gaped and all these emotions that follow. They were before the saddest area – as far as the eye could see – a grayish valley that looked more like a desert where nothing grew (at least it seemed that way). It made such a vivid and sad contrast compared to the lands behind them.

There was no avoiding of this area. They had to cross it. So sighing deeply, they ventured into the gray valley, which held the name **The Gardens of Gallean** (but they knew not who named it that way or why someone would call this, gardens; though its full name was _**The Gardens of Gallean before the gates of Mortis**_).

An hour or so nothing happened as they walked and walked through this sad grayish land. Everything around seemed to absorb not only the light but also all happy ambiances. Soon, everyone was feeling just as sad as the land around them. This feeling grew exponentially as they ventured further in. And soon they understood why, why all this sadness for they were about to taste it fully.

Sheppard had taken the lead of the group and as he passed by a smaller hill he froze in his steps. The others wondered why and as they came in from behind him they quickly understood. Several dozen of feet before them they recognized the silhouette and outlines of what seemed like a graveyard. The difference of course between the real graveyard and this one was that in the real one you have graves where the bodies lay in peace but in this one all of the bodies were sitting with their backs to the tombstones where their names were engraved.

Sheppard had noticed four figures out of which two were once his parents; one he never thought possible of seeing again – Colonel Sumner and the other one for which he held the hope might be still alive – lieutenant Ford. Sheppard made a few steps towards them and for his utter surprised they stood up and headed towards him. Sheppard had frozen still the moment they did.

"John!" – His father called. Sheppard still did not react. It was too much for him to take.

"Son!" – His father called again raising his arms as to hug him. Sheppard moved slowly and cautiously toward him.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't have the time to tell you." – His father continued tears falling down his cheeks.

Sheppard made the step separating him from his father who hugged him. All the years of regret and harsh words fell upon him again but this time he felt much more relieved than ever. He was not able to face him when he was on the death bed. He was able only to go to the funeral.

"Dad…I'm…" – The words choked Sheppard.

"I know, son, I know!" – His father cut him off. "I'm the one that must apologize, not you!"

"No, that's…not true…" – Sheppard could not hold it off much longer. "I'm sorry too, dad. I said things I shouldn't have."

The others stood silently at this meeting. No one even dared say a word.

"It's alright son. You were right to pursue your own path." – His father patted him on the back.

"You wanted me to follow your way." – Sheppard couldn't resist retorting.

"I just wanted what all fathers do – the best for their sons."

"This is the best for me. I'm good at it."

"I know. You have done well. I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you!" – Sheppard was relieved and guilty at the same time. "I didn't know that…I wanted to…"

"It's alright. You were out there serving your country. I understand."

The two broke apart and looked at each other. The looks were saying it all. After all these years, Sheppard was finally relieved. He was at peace now with at least one of the things he regretted. His father smiled at him. The pride in his eyes was so moving. Sheppard's mother just came and hugged him even longer than his father. They said nothing to each other but the hug did that for them (then again maybe they did however no one heard them).

As they broke apart, Colonel Sumner stepped forward. Sheppard feared that meeting but it went better he anticipated.

"You've done well in my stead, Colonel. Keep the good work!"

"Yes, sir!" – Sheppard saluted. "I just wondered…"

"I would have done the same if I were you!" – Sumner interrupted him then stepped aside.

"Colonel!" – Ford saluted with his radiant smile.

"Lieutenant." – Sheppard saluted as well. "I held the hope I could find you."

"I know but there was no escape from that ship. You did what you had to do." – Ford said smiling. "Just tell my sister and my grandparents that I…"

"That you did well beyond the call of duty." – Sheppard finished. "I will. I promise."

"Thank you, Colonel."

"Son." – Sheppard's father called. Sheppard turned back and walked to his father. "I was given this information for you. _'What you face now is as old as the stars. It is a race that has prowled the space before all others. They are one of the oldest and most powerful. They shall not retreat nor get scared. They will not stop until they blacken the suns. They fear only the light of Gallean and the sentries of Mortis.'_"

"What is the light of Gallean?" – Sheppard asked perplexed.

"I don't know. I wish I did but I don't." – His father shrugged. "I'm just passing you what was given to me."

"Given? By whom?"

"It's difficult to explain – actually it is impossible for you to understand unless you're dead like me."

"And the sentries of Mortis – who are they?"

"I believe you'll meet them, Johnnie." – His mother cut in.

"Well, this is better than nothing." – Sheppard said then added. "Are we on the right path to the temple of the Axis?"

"Yes, you are." – Ford answered.

"What is it like?"

"Like nothing you've ever seen or dreamt about." – Ford answered beaming. "But simple words can't make it justice nor describe it fully. Even the Ancients, Colonel, could not understand it, though they've certainly tried."

"I know the feeling. I understood nothing of Janis' description of it." – Sheppard nodded.

"Well, he did get the idea of time travel from it." – Ford said (which is part of the truth).

"Wow! Really?" – Rodney exclaimed unable to hold up the silence anymore.

"You will understand why." – Ford said. "And yes, Dr. McKay."

"It is time for you and us to go." – Sheppard's father said and added wisely. "And don't look back. Always look forwards."

Sheppard hugged each one of them one last time before he and his team continued their journey towards the mysterious temple of the Axis armed with the newly acquired knowledge (though not understanding completely its significance).

* * *

Another hour or so, everyone were discussing the strange occurrence where Sheppard met his parents, Sumner and Ford. They were also discussing the odd message Sheppard's father gave them. The situation was far worse than they've thought. Mitchell was cursing under breath. It is true that every time they go through the gate there is a chance they might wake up something better left alone but this was too much. It was even worse than with the ORI, which were very powerful. But with this message, Mitchell as well as the others understood that they were possibly going to have to deal with a threat old as the universe. It was too much. What were the Ancients thinking when they were making all their discoveries and screw ups?

With the discussions over, the group continued, in silence each with their thoughts. Passing by another hill, the view of the grayish valley changed. It was now far too misty, too much fog. They could barely see four feet ahead. This place was indeed very odd. It was as though it was sensing their moody feelings.

"Ronon, what is it?" – Sheppard asked suddenly noticing his friend's behavior.

Ronon who was quite silent even during the discussions had now frozen in his place. He stood with eyes wide open. He had spotted a familiarly looking figure that had suddenly sprung out of the fog as though from the ground itself. The figure had an elegant walk. It approached the group and stopped right in front of Ronon.

"Hey, Ronon darling." – She said.

Ronon stood one second more rooted before embracing her into his arms. Tears were falling down his cheeks.

"I told you to leave with me." – He sobbed.

"I couldn't leave. You know that." – She said simply.

"Melena, I've missed you!" – Ronon said.

"As I had you but you must be strong now for a great darkness is coming, not only at your friend's galaxy but in our as well." – Melena said.

"Is it the same?" – Sheppard cut in the conversation.

"No, Colonel. They are separate but equally dark in their intentions." – Melena replied.

"You know him?" – Ronon asked perplexed.

"I know all of them." – Melena smiled. "You haven't forgotten, dear, that I'm dead and the dead know everything – well, almost everything."

"Well, it is straightforward enough." – Sheppard remarked.

"Who are those to come into ours?" – Ronon asked intrigued. "We have enough trouble with the remainder of the wraiths and the others…"

"The ancient's enemy you encountered (at Atlantis) will be nothing compared to those that shall come to the Pegasus." – Melena said. "But there is hope."

"There is always hope." – Crichton interjected.

"Yes, it's true, Commander. There is always hope." – Melena beamed.

"What hope can we have when we are constantly under some kind of threat?" – The ever skeptical Rodney asked.

"The kind of hope, Dr. McKay that we will surprise you more than you can imagine." – Melena replied with a mysterious glow in her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You will find out. I shall say no more." – Melena said.

"Uh, guys, do you mind?" – Ronon interfered, clearing his throat. "Some privacy?"

"Sure, buddy." – Sheppard said and dragged Rodney away.

Ronon and Melena moved out of sight. The others remained silent while waiting patiently for their friend's moment of joy. Some of them wondered how many more of those encounters they'd have.

Mitchell was thinking (with fear) about meeting SG-1 (but mostly Vala). What would he say to them – he had no idea. He wasn't even sure he could bear meeting them. He became commander of the most elite SG team and now he had lost them all – Carter, Jackson, Teal'c, O'Neil and Vala. Vala, truth to be said, was the hardest loss for him. He knew that she liked Daniel a lot but over the time they had become close – well, not as lovers but as brother and sister. After all, she was the one that initiated this crazy pursuit to the Pegasus and…Mitchell stopped his thoughts. His brain simply refused to dig into that wound.

Ronon returned with Melena at his side. He seemed more at peace now. Melena kissed and hugged him good-bye and vanished into the fog.

"Shall we?" – Ronon said.

"Yeah, we should be going." – Sheppard agreed. "Though I wonder how many more meetings of this sort we shall have before actually reaching the temple."

They continued their journey. (They did understand that this place was not so wrongly called gardens. It reminded of the intermediate plane before reaching Heavens and it was close to that though different). For the next few hours they encountered no one. Maybe Ronon and Sheppard were the only ones to whom the spirits had decided to appear. But it was not so.

They stopped for the night for it was already night time. Sheppard took the watch. He wanted the time to think about the things that happened during the day through. His encounter with his father was surprising but deep inside him he had always wanted to resolve it somehow. And yet, sometimes life doesn't give you that chance.

But this place did. At first he was skeptical about the whole idea of this being a planet of memorial but after the encounter he no longer thought so. This place was an odd one, very odd one. It made him wonder what could possibly the wraiths be doing here. Who would they be seeking? Or perhaps they were trying to understand the same thing they were after – this temple of the Axis – maybe but then again maybe something else. It was possible it was the temple because as Ford mentioned even the all mighty Ancients failed to do so. Were the wraiths trying to prove they were better – just like Rodney at times – maybe, maybe not?

Sheppard drove those thoughts away – they weren't his usual ones. Though there was one other thing, one other thought in his mind and it was Elizabeth Weir. Had she been really in Atlantis as consciousness or was it a duplicate – there was no way of knowing. But anything is possible. Though he somehow, even at that encounter with her, had the feeling that they were going to see her again – back in her own body (though the consciousness said it was destroyed, gone). Something in him still believed she is out there somewhere looking after them (maybe like an angel or an ascended angel. This thought made him smile).

* * *

Before he realized day has come. The red contour of dawn has appeared on the horizon though the misty fog that was still present. He looked at the horizon and saw two figures approaching. But they couldn't be real – Sheppard told himself, for he could see right through them. The two looked very familiar. One was in a blue uniform with a lot of medals and other one was dressed like any other SG team on mission.

A tingling sensation had awakened Mitchell. He looked around and noticed the two approaching ghost like figures. One, he recognized at once and gaped. It couldn't be – it simply couldn't.

The two ghosts approached. The one in the blue uniform saluted when it stood before the group. Mitchell and Sheppard did the same still looking stunned.

"Colonels!" – The blue uniform figure said.

"General, sir!" – Both Sheppard and Mitchell replied in turn.

"At ease!" – The general said. "You've done both a good job so far. Keep it up, Earth and all the galaxy will be counting on you."

"Yes, sir!"

The general smiled. He knew that they will do just fine as usual. The other figure stood slightly in the back still not approaching as though fearing the encounter.

"Sir?" – Sheppard turned to the general.

"Yes, Colonel?"

"How is it that you're here? I thought that you were…"

"Retired, well, yes, I was. But things like this happen – some call it life." – The general said.

Mitchell did not take part in this conversation more than he had to. He was more interested in the other figure. He walked towards it. He actually did not want to face but he had to.

"Captain Vega?" – Mitchell called.

"Colonel!" – Alicia said, ready to retreat.

"Captain, where are the others?" – Mitchell asked the question that has been burning him for the past hours.

"I...I…do not know!" – Alicia stammered.

"Are they…" – Mitchell pronounced the last word with difficulty. "Are they dead?"

"I do not know!" – Alicia replied looking down.

"Tell me the truth. I must know!" – Mitchell pressed her.

"She can't tell you what she knows not, Colonel." – The general interfered.

"But if she's dead, General Hammond, sir, she must have seen them – she was with them when it happened!" – Mitchell protested, finally losing his control.

"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way, Colonel Mitchell!" – General Hammond said, shaking his head. "When you die you do not meet with whomever you choose."

"But why then are you two here?"

"We are here because we are." – Hammond responded. "This place is like an intermediate station between the two realms. Some return to it some don't."

"So Vala and the others continued? Just like SG-1?"

"I don't have the answer for this, Colonel." – Hammond said sadly. "I wish I could answer it but I can't."

"I understand, sir!" – Mitchell was disappointed but a small spark of hope had crawled into him. Though, he quickly shook it off – after all he personally buried Vala thus she couldn't be alive.

"I'm sorry, Colonel. I really wished I could help you." – Hammond looked apologetically at Mitchell. "I know how you feel."

"Thank you, sir!" – Mitchell said with effort while struggling not to let his emotions, his sensitive side kick in.

* * *

At this moment, their conversation was interrupted by a deep voice that has shouted.

"Crichton!"

Crichton looked up. He knew that voice. He looked in the direction of the voice and saw the massive figure of Ka D'Argo.

"D'Argo!" – He exclaimed, pleasantly surprised.

Rygel looked surprised but Chiana was already at D'Argo's arms. "D'Argo, sweet D'Argo! I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too, Chi!" – D'Argo said moved. Then turned to Crichton. "You too, John!"

"Good to see you, Big D!" – Crichton shook his hand.

However, Ka D'Argo looked a bit defensive and the others soon understood why. Another three figures appeared through the mist. One of them made John Crichton freeze in terror and disbelief.

"Dad!" – D'Argo Crichton called.

"S…son!" – Crichton stammered. "No, it's impossible." – Crichton shook his head, closed his eyes hoping that it was just an illusion but his son's ghostly hands removed his.

"We're not dreaming, Dad. It is really me!"

"But how?" – Crichton asked, after a while. "How is this possible?"

"It is a rather long story."

"You named him after me?" – Ka D'Argo asked.

"Yes, Aeryn and I choose this…" – Crichton did not continue as Ka D'Argo hugged him friendly cutting him off.

"I…it's…" – Ka D'Argo was moved so he could not find the words.

"Dad, this is…" – Crichton's son tried to say but Crichton interrupted him.

"Molalla, yes, I know."

"How?" – D'Argo Crichton asked perplexed.

"It's a…"

"…long story."

"Yeah. But I want to hear yours first!" – Crichton said. "You were aboard Moya…"

"I know dad. I was being only ten years old and I was on Moya. But actually, I vanished and ended up in a parallel reality, being ten years older. At least, that's what I thought at first. But as I understood later, I wasn't. I was actually into the future."

"What? But how?"

"I believe this weird shockwave has something to do with it, the one that mother encountered first."

"And then?"

"Then…well…I lived into the future looking for answers and in one place I encounter Molalla who had experienced the same thing. And curiously enough she is the…the daughter of…" – D'Argo Crichton trailed off at this point as Molalla stepped in.

"She's my daughter, John!" – A familiar voice said startling Crichton.

"Scorpius!" – Crichton exclaimed stunned.

"Yes, curious, isn't it? Or maybe it's fate!" – Scorpius smiled.

"Well, I guess, I have to write a letter to fate thanking it you're dead!" – Crichton shot sarcastically.

"Oh, John, such hostility but yes, maybe…" – Scorpius said with his usual mysterious and unnerving smile.

"Son, you were saying…" – Crichton turned back to his son. He had no desire to speak with Scorpy.

"Well, after I met her, we started both looking for answers. Then we came across something extraordinary. The Scarrans were allied with a race called…"

"The wraith, I know."

"Yes…," – Crichton's son looked up surprised but continued. "They obviously had some amount of control over the Scarrans, which was disturbing and surprising. We learnt that they were not of our galaxy but of another and it was them who encouraged the Scarrans to break the peace treaty some ten years ago. We also had intercepted an encrypted message towards the Scarrans' high command. Unfortunately, they discovered our interference and started chasing us. They were about to capture us as a wormhole appeared out of nowhere. I said to myself that wherever that wormhole was going to lead would be better than our current situation so I directed the prowler into it. I had also taken the module. And Molalla followed me.

We ended up in orbit of a strange planet. Our instruments picked up a ship on the other side of the planet. It had the most peculiar form – a pyramid. We thought it best landing on the surface to avoid detection.

We found a cave system that could perfectly hide the crafts energy signature. We stayed in it for days before running out of food. We had to find more. We headed outside on reconnaissance. One day, I spotted a village. It was far from the caves but we had no choice. We left the crafts in the cave and headed towards the village. We never saw the crafts again." – D'Argo Crichton paused to take his breath then continued.

"The people in the village were simple but they generously helped us out though we didn't understand their language. On the next morning we were planning to return back to the caves but it didn't come to this. Soldiers dressed in very odd armor came into the village. The moment they spotted us they pointed their weapons. The village elder tried to plead perhaps with them but he was pushed aside. We however had no desire to be taken in without a fight. Molalla raised her gun as I fired with mine. Two of the soldiers fell down but they had weapons we did not anticipate. They fired a bluish blast and we fell unconscious…"

"Yes, these," – Mitchell interrupted showing them. "They are called a Zat gun, one shot stuns and a second one kills you."

D'Argo Crichton, Molalla and Scorpius looked at Mitchell completely dumbfounded. They were seeing a second Crichton.

"It is a long story." – Crichton decided to interfere. "Please continue." – He urged his son.

"Ah, yes, sure," – D'Argo Crichton regained his speech though still stunned of the sight of Mitchell. "We woke up in a gorgeous bed with white sheets. The sun was shining. We were dressed in odd clothing. Then a small child appeared gesturing us to follow and we did. The child brought us in a spacious room that looked remarkably like a throne room. On the throne, a fairly young woman was sitting. Her eyes, however, had a strange glow. Her voice was deep but friendly. Stunningly, we understood her. Maybe, she had translating microbes though as we found out later she had used a different method.

She was as she said a ruler, the ruler of this planet. She had detected our ships appearing in orbit but the crafts vanished out of her sight. She had sent…gliders I believe she said to look for us."

"They are called Death Gliders." – Mitchell confirmed. "And they are space capable too."

"Yes, that's it." – D'Argo Crichton nodded. "Well, they had located them afterwards in the caves and tracked us to the village. She then told us that she was intrigued by their design as she had never seen anything like it before."

"I bet she was." – Mitchell interjected.

"Yes, she said she would be grateful if we shared our technology with her in exchange of her help, if she could of course. If she couldn't we would not share it. So we told her how have we arrived to her. She was mostly perplexed. Her instruments were capable to detect traces of the wormhole but she couldn't reproduce its effects as it was a natural one. We did not understand her at first before she showed us what she meant."

"The stargate!" – Mitchell exclaimed.

"Yes, that's what she called it."

"Didn't she call it the Chapa Eye?" – Rodney asked.

"No, she called it the stargate."

"That's very odd. English did not exist at the time." – Rodney shook head.

"Rodney, we are forgetting that they were speaking it." – Sheppard reminded.

"Oh, right, sorry."

"Then what happened?" – Crichton insisted.

"Well, we lived with her. The people of the planet were coming to see her from time to time bringing tributes. We quickly understood they thought of her as a Goddess…"

"And when she was not satisfied of the tributes she ordered the Jaffa to set the example with a few well aimed shots." – Mitchell finished up the sentence. "All Goa'uld are the same."

"Actually, no!" – D'Argo Crichton shook his head. "Though, yes, she said that she said that her race is called the Goa'uld. They need host bodies in order to exist. When the tributes were not of the quality she would appreciate she would take one of the makers with her in the palace (the ship) and teach how to improve his techniques."

Mitchell looked up extremely skeptically at this statement.

"Well, she did." – D'Argo Crichton confirmed. "Then she would bring him back to his village. And the next time that he would appear the quality will be more than satisfactory. All the inhabitants, actually, worshiped her. I had to admit she was a formidable and very accomplished ruler.

One time, another ship came into orbit. He arrived in her throne room and knelt but it was clear to me that he was also a ruler. He was very young and handsome. But the glare in his eyes was malicious, dangerous. His name was Amon Ra."

"WHAT?" – Mitchell exclaimed shocked.

"You know him?"

"Yes, he was the first one we killed."

"Well, he presided in the council of the Goa'uld in her stead. From the little, I learnt about her, she never liked the council or any of the members but they all respected her for she had not only a lot of influence but the biggest fleet. Next to her only one other Goa'uld had such influence and a similar fleet. I believe his name was Lord You or something like it. Anyway, Ra had come to pay his respects to his mistress. He stayed only for a few days before departing. However, he learnt of us – strangers having all the comforts the palace could offer. He tried to learn more about us but she forbid it and he obeyed.

Subsequently, she…"

"I'm sorry to interrupt…" – Mitchell apologized. "But what was her name?"

"Her name was Tallic, supreme ruler of the Goa'uld. She said that her name was of old Goa'uld and had equivalence in the oldest tongue of the universe, which was Selleyra. Her name meant as direct translation 'The Queen of Dawn' though she did not elaborate on its full meaning."

"Hmm, curios. We thought that the temple above, which we discovered the crafts was built by a male Goa'uld." – Mitchell said.

"Well, before she departed for the undying lands as she called it, she made Molalla and me the next rulers of the planet."

"What?" – Mitchell exclaimed.

"Didn't the other Goa'uld come to claim it?" – Sheppard asked.

"No, she gave all her fleet and influence to Ra under one and only condition packed with an old Goa'uld tradition – an oath of some kind – that he was never to take over this planet nor allow any of the other Goa'uld to set foot on it. Ra, obviously, accepted because after all what is one planet compared to might of the rest of her domain – nothing. She told us she had concealed our crafts in the cave system so no Goa'uld would actually find them – ever."

"But why didn't you return to claim back the crafts?" – Sheppard wondered.

"Well, we had no way of returning and the protection she had provided lasted only while we are on the planet not out of it. Also, we did not have fuel or the necessary instruments to maintain them and that they were already sealed. So we had no choice actually. And then we lived there until the end of our natural lives. So this is our story." – D'Argo Crichton finished.

"And the encrypted data – is it still on the ships?" – Mitchell inquired.

"Yes. It is."

"You will find it under the file name of Tallic, which is in the dustbin."- Molalla informed. "The pass code is Egeria."

"This code name sounds familiar." – Mitchell said thoughtfully.

"It is the name of the queen of the Tok'Ra!" – Rodney informed.

"How curious!"

"Well, this is it, Dad." – D'Argo Crichton said. "Our time here is limited. We have to go!"

"Just a moment, son!" – Scorpius intervened. "I have a few words to say to my Dear John. In privet."

Crichton and Scorpius moved aside while the others processed the story. It was full with a lot of details that did not fit the general parameters of what they knew about the Goa'uld but the code name suggested to Mitchell that Tallic might have something to do with the beginning of the Tok'Ra. He had to ask them at first chance.

* * *

"Colonel Mitchell! Colonel Sheppard!" – General Hammond took off Mitchell off his thoughts. "Join me!"

The two came. General Hammond took them aside of the others.

"Sir?" – Sheppard looked questioningly.

"You are about to reach for the temple of the Axis."

"You know of it too?" – Mitchell exclaimed.

"Yes, this is one of the reasons we came to you! Now pay attention!" – Hammond said smiling.

"Yes, sir." – Both said.

"The temple of the Axis is holly ground. Do not touch anything however enticing or tempting it might be. And it will be." – Hammond said with a strict voice. "When you enter you will be looking, and keep well this visualized in your minds, for a silvery, mostly moonlight emitting star. Do not lose it out of sight. It will guide you through the temple."

"We will."

"Good then I can wish you all good luck in your quest for it shall not be easy. The ORI were a testament of our skills and abilities but this one will push them even further, to previously unexplored boundaries. Do not lose your cool for if you do all the universes will be doomed. Good luck!"

And as he said it he vanished as did Alicia. Scorpius returned with Crichton who looked very serious. He was surprised for what he had told him. For the first time he had to admit that Scorpius was actually on his side (though he was still skeptical about his motives – who wouldn't be given his experience with him). Then Ka D'Argo and the rest of Moya's crew spent some time together before the time for him, Scorpius, Molalla and D'Argo Crichton had elapsed.

Crichton hugged his son who whispered something in his dad's ear before vanishing into thin air.

"Remember Crichton! Remember!" – Scorpius' voice echoed before he vanished out of sight.

"What was that about?" – Mitchell inquired intrigued.

"It's a long…no I'm kidding." – Crichton laughed. "He told some curious things about the Scarrans but we'll discuss them later."

Mitchell looked straight into his eyes. Crichton was obviously not a good liar. Whatever Scorpius had told him, was something different and probably important but Crichton did not elaborate on the matter. Maybe it was personal.

The moment the dead left the misty fog cleared and before their eyes just some distance away, they saw a lonely building. The building was enormous and did not seem to be real. They reached it in under an hour.

"Well, here we go!" – Sheppard said and led the way in.

* * *

**And don't forget to review. It only takes a couple of minutes.**

**Lordheaven **


	12. The Temple of the Axis

**A/N1: Here is the next chapter. Our heroes finally reach the temple of the Axis where they are going to see what is needed for them to complete their quest (though not ****everything and not in exclusive details so they have no way of knowing how difficult it really is going to be but they'll get a glimpse of that too). Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: ****The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**The Temple of the Axis**

"_**Four are the elements that formed the universe. Four are the directions of the world. Four is the number and four is the balanc**__**e, the balance of the universe. **_

_**Four will have to find their way towards each other though they are two, the opposites coming from two alternates but work together they must. The fifth is going to show the way. And the sixth is going to protect the rest. Together they shall free the other two for the faith of the universe presides on their shoulders. " – **__Silvae Seer Vera 'Visions'_

"_**Have you visited the strangest place? Have you **__**looked up the greatest mystery? Have you known the biggest secret? So clueless they were when they ventured into the Axis – the place the Gods themselves created."**__ – Dr. Elizabeth Weir, Extract from the book 'Universe Wonders', (for reference – see in the upcoming chapters of Selleyra)_

* * *

The atrium in which Sheppard led his people was so enormous that you could fit in at least a hundred cities like Atlantis. Its height was staggering, so far up was that the ceiling was virtually invisible, instead all that they could see were tiny lights as though they were under the sky itself. The walls were far from each other yet they seemed to be just hundred meters apart.

On the walls there frames of pictures or at least it seemed that way but in fact were doorways. Each was portraying a force of the all mighty nature – a hurricane, a lava eruption, a maelstrom, an earthquake – rise and fall – and it was all vivid. It was not just a picture that stood still – it was process that knew no end. And the sound of it was deafening, the scale of it frightening (for the frames were big and wide as though opened to other worlds).

The floor felt quite odd not very rocky or any kind of material they were usually accustomed to. It was the strangest of all feelings. Rodney even suggested barely audibly that they could be walking on energy (though technically everything is energy but I guess he meant energy in its purest form, which is rare). It felt like they were floating and soaring and walking at the same time.

As they moved further in, the contours of the walls began to fade and slowly being replaced by twinkling lights (as though they were in the all mighty cosmos not some old building). At first, they thought this must be advanced holographic technology (understandable mistake). But with time they came to realize that whatever it was it was not a hologram.

Sheppard who was at the lead noticed in the distance of the twinkling lights the glimmer of silvery light. He remembered what General Hammond had told him 'Follow the silver star' and so he headed towards it with the others trailing behind him.

The walk towards the star was filled with all kinds of surprises along the way. One of those surprises would the passing by mountains of gold, silver and all kinds of gems and other precious stones that were just a hand away. Rodney had almost grabbed one when Mitchell stopped him. "Remember, touch nothing no matter how tempting" He reminded him of Hammond's words. But resisting the stones was only part of the challenge. And it became quite difficult when Rodney and the others spotted the cylindrical orange objects known as ZPMs. They were lying by the hundreds. Just two of them could solve a whole bunch of problems (well maybe a bit more than two). Next to the ZPMs they could see the very blueprints of Atlantis itself, the making of ZPM, the drones and the warships; information so tempting that it was difficult to resist. Mitchell and Sheppard had to throw in all their energy to resist grabbing those things and just as well controlling their friends of the same.

They passed (of course) by many tempting objects and even places. There were even different realities as it seemed from first look. And Mitchell almost lost it as he saw SG-1 alright and healthy going again on missions. He wanted to join them but this time he was stopped by Crichton who had quickly recognized what they were seeing – an unrealized reality. He barely managed to pull Mitchell back.

The Silver Star, their guide, shifted position and Sheppard adjusted. They were now moving right (or rather left but it was very difficult to tell actually for in space finding the direction with or without compass is rather impossible). The list of tempting objects and events vanished and was replaced by all those objects and moments none of them actually wanted to ever relive again (for they were their somewhat good and worst experiences).

* * *

(Crichton's moments :)

Crichton grief stricken saw Aeryn dead in that glassy coffin after Scorpius neuron clone, taking over his consciousness landed his module in midair on Aeryn's prowler (the ejection system malfunctioned and Aeryn died in the freezing water of the icy lake beneath).

Then the images shifted showing him the time he had not seen with his own eyes – the time when Aeryn was tortured by the Scarrans on her way to Katratzi. The way she defended her unborn child was staggering and moving. His heart was now full of even bigger love towards his brave and beautiful wife (whose location was still unknown).

The images shuffled again showing this time his son and Molalla, rulers of the world on which they landed. He saw their entire life on the planet with all the successes and failures. But it showed something more. It showed how they died and it was not the way he thought – peacefully – they were tortured and killed by young man with glowing eyes. Tears filled his eyes, which were then replaced by anger.

And again everything faded and reorganized itself. He saw himself standing above his dead wife on the ladder of landed transport pod (in the timeless zone). They were both very old as they had been stuck on a planet in another dimension.

They were on a planet where a certain bug bit them and Aeryn killed a clan leader that almost got her in the world of trouble. Unfortunately, he got bitten too and they almost killed each other. There was also another such moment when they were both delirious and almost killed themselves.

Then at the time when Aeryn needed skin graft and he had to infiltrate the PK base where Scorpius captured and tortured him for days. And Aeryn came to the rescue after recovering. She couldn't let him be in enemy's hands. She had to return the favour.

When she left as he learnt she might be carrying his child and as she returned with heat delirium and was wearing Scorpius' cooling costumes. It was painful for him to see her like this. The time when she was killed on his wedding (as he was imaging it would be on Earth).

This time, the images showed Aeryn on a lonely planet inside a prison her hands bound to the walls. The prison dissolved and its place appeared a courtroom where a judge was testing Aeryn with an odd device (probably for saying the truth or something like it). Then as the images began to fade, Crichton was a glimpse of blast fire.

The images went back in time almost at the beginning of his journey as they visited a crazy scientist who by the simplest extraction of DNA could make a map of your home world. In that mission, Aeryn was transformed into a pilot herself (well almost). But seeing her again brought bitterness.

Then it moved to the time when they swapped bodies. This actually brought Crichton a smile. It was a very curious experience (except the time when Rygel inhabited his body that was a bit painful).

The images resolved on Talyn in one of the chambers where his duplicate was dying of radiation poising. Aeryn was sitting by him, eyes full of tears (who can blame her?). Of this show, he saw all their missions together and Crichton understood better what had happened (words alone sometimes are not enough unless eyes can see and feel).

The images moved to the Shadow depository where he was captured. The neuron clone was taking over as he had left Scorpius for the dead. But Aeryn came for him after he had sacrificed himself for the others. Aeryn showed why PKs are dangerous.

Then everything transformed into a planet that no longer existed and saw his friend Ka D'Argo shooting at the hordes of incoming Scarrans and then slowly dying as the planet was coming apart. Crichton closed his eyes he did not want to continue to see these images. All they were bringing in him was pain. But even through his closed eyes he continued to see them in his mind. His eyes then sought the silver star among the images and stayed fixed on it. That was helping but not by much as he sensed his eyes slipping over his control and returning back to the pain (which continued with the experience of his friends on Moya before he had even met them).

* * *

(Mitchell's moments :)

Next to him, stood Mitchell, for him the images were just as painful. It started with the loss of friend, the one called the Priest, during the Anubis attack, and then it continued with his fall on the icy grounds (where he almost died). Then in the hospital where in the intervals in which he was awake he was seeing either his parents, either General O'Neill (telling him he could have any job he wants within the system, of course), and the all of SG-1 – Jackson, Teal'c and Carter (giving him the medal of high valour).

The images shifted revealing this time a planet where SG-1 had come to the rescue of people formerly subservient to Ketesh (Vala) when an ORI prior arrived and started killing (himself included – Dr. Lam couldn't save him). Vala then was doing everything to save these people but nothing worked.

Then the images went backwards and showed the first day when Vala arrived. The moment, they were all stuck in Merlin's caves and almost to be crushed; the sword-fight with the guardian and the finding of the odd device. Jackson and Vala took the stones and this time Mitchell saw everything that actually happened until the time Vala was burnt alive and then the time when both were about to be burnt if not the brilliant idea to throw the device into an open wormhole.

The images shuffled and came to a village where Carter was to experiment with Merlin's dimensional device and hide an entire village. But the plan backfired; he and Carter were the only ones that managed to hide. But Carter was severely injured but she never gave up. She was brave enough to guide him through the complex process he had to make in order to safe the village. Cam thought that this must be enough of this torturous place but he was wrong as he experienced everything Carter did when she vanished into a parallel reality and left them two weeks speaking to an empty room.

But he was not even near the end for the images continued. It went back in time when O'Neill was a captive of Baal. He saw the general die over and over again (alongside with all the torturing methods). He saw his pain and assumed it as his own. This experience was not a pleasant one and he knew what the general must have felt as he had come almost to giving up.

But he had no time to ponder as the torture started again. This time it went somewhere in a very dark place where he saw SG-1 hanging. Their hands bound with ugly looking chains (those Goa'uld are real monsters, Cam thought), blood ensuing. Their faces contorted with pain as some not so nicely looking and pointy objects moved towards them. A wave of pain crossed their bodies and Cam heard their cries and felt their pain, which was agonizing that it was hard not to shout himself. But there was no one that could hear them.

Then it went back again to the time General Landry was the one dying on the quarantine bed. Over him was his daughter, Dr. Lam doing her best to save him but unsuccessfully. Carter and the child were working day and night. He felt all of Orlin's pain while trying to withhold the knowledge.

The images showed a lonely planet. Vala was marching through the woods looking for something or maybe someone. She stopped as though she had heard something but then continued. The scene dissolved and reformed to a village (it looked like the ORI villages). She was moving cautiously until she reached an old barn building. She peered in and smiled, took off her Zat gun then marched in blasts first. The scene faded.

It reformed to the time they were stuck on the Odyssey. He knew not what had happened as it was an unrealized reality. But nonetheless he experienced all those years spent within the second. He saw his bitterness of being stuck on a ship with no way out – _alone_. Alone? Was he indeed that alone? He had his work but was this enough? The answer came quickly up – no, it wasn't, and it never is.

The images shuffled again moving this time forward back to the Odyssey where he was fighting with the Replicators in the ORI galaxy. Oh, boy, he was bruised and beaten up after this confrontation. The stream of images however showed him what Jackson, Tomin and Vala experienced while they were captured.

The image show moved to more present time as he made the crazy jump from one part of the precipice to the other, nearly missing the spot he was aiming at. But he got up and ran as fast as he could but came too late nonetheless. Vala and the rest of the team except Sergeant Mehra were already stone cold, dead. He carried them, one by one, and then buried them. He took off with Mehra and as he was reaching the Daedalus, the planet exploded sending a shockwave of an unknown origin throughout space (that almost tore apart his craft).

* * *

(Rodney's moments :)

Rodney was sitting alone in a dark room. His sister appeared out of nowhere and scared the hell out of him. She always liked the good laugh on his behalf but things had changed since. Later, it was his father and the darn book – Moby Dick, every single night until he started having nightmares about it. The images also showed his experience with that alien entity that had taken the form of Colonel Sheppard. He was on a boat trying to reach for Atlantis. On one side stood that alien and on the other the real Sheppard encouraging him but nonetheless the darn whale came and ate him, and he almost died in the process.

Out of the darkness, he emerged into another nightmare. He was at the back of a damaged jumper sinking deeper and deeper into the ocean. He was severely injured and his consciousness (or imagination) had conjured an evil McKay. No, Rodney shook his head. It was Colonel Carter he had conjured to help him out though he was not listening. But the images did not accept Rodney's input and continued. It was then when he realized that this was an unrealized reality (of what could have happened).

The images reorganized into Atlantis and into the precise moment when Dr. Beckett was burnt alive by the explosive tumour (a technology the Ancients had devised long ago for the war with the wraith). Seeing it happen was even more horrifying than Rodney had imagined.

Then they moved to the point where Atlantis was under siege by the Replicators' beam and as they were taking off the beam grazed the tower. Elizabeth was shot backwards by the exploding glass. She was in critical condition when he had to act. He reactivated her nanites and she came back to herself. Then they went to the city of the Replicators where they lost her. Elizabeth then reappeared but she was merely a copy. And at last she returned as a consciousness and took the body of Fran but they had to dispose of her and her companions for they were a danger and sent them to open space. But the truth was that Rodney always had the feeling (or maybe the hope) that wasn't Elizabeth.

The images shifted to a totally unknown for Rodney place. It was a city in the clouds or a city built of clouds, Rodney wasn't sure. He was standing on a hill where there was one tree but a big tree. Its bark had the most unusual color – silver and its leaves were mat. The fruits were golden orange and looked really juicy. Suddenly a light blinded his eyes but as he noticed the light was moving towards him. In the light he saw the outlines of a figure. He blinked once then twice. Were his eyes playing tricks on him for what he was actually seeing? The figure was dressed upside down in black clothes and had a mantle reaching nearly the ground. The figure smiled at Rodney though he still couldn't see the face well. It moved closer to Rodney and whispered a few words in a language unknown to him.

"Ellentia An Dame vervau. Vir Atlant nest on'amen. Veil Mortis und hales een Gallean." – then spoke in English – "Remember them for the time when you'll need them." And it repeated the phrase as did Rodney trying to remember it (and he did but for that later).

Rodney quickly asked back – "How would I know when the time has come?"

The figure had smiled and said – "You will know when it is right."

"Who are you? Are you…? Elizabeth?" – Rodney couldn't resist but ask as the figure had become clearer and looked remarkably like Elizabeth despite the unusual outfit (and though he had not recognized the voice but truth to be said the voice was coming from all directions so it was difficult to make it out). But he received no answer (instead a gentle touch by the dew falling off the tree) as everything around him faded away.

He was back at the Arcturus Project lab where he witnessed the death of his colleague by the deadly radiation when he was trying to make it produce zero point energy from our own universe space time. He saw that again and again and again. And then the blast of the whole solar system.

These experiences in the whole were not horrible or particularly painful for him but it reminded him of his pride and mistakes (except the one of the cloud city, which was the strangest experience for him).

* * *

(Sheppard's moments :)

He was flying over the desert. He had just disobeyed orders. But he couldn't simply stand and do nothing while his friends were in danger. Then he was again in the desert – with Holland heading west. But he bumped into the enemy – he had to shoot otherwise he would be the one shot. Nonetheless, Holland didn't make it though he did somehow.

The images shifted. He was flying to the Antarctic with General O'Neill aboard when a bright light appeared in the sky – a missile he had never seen in his life. O'Neill ordered him to evade it and for some time he did before landing and the darn thing was deactivated. He then entered into the place that later propelled his career and found the one who had shot that darn thing at him – a med doctor named Beckett. He told him of the Ancients, an advanced civilization that has built the stargates (what the hell is that – he asked himself). And then he sat on the chair and an image of the solar system appeared, and his life changed forever. He joined Dr. Elizabeth's team and went to explore another galaxy.

Then the images zoomed to the very first mission. The city shields were about to fail. They went to a village and found Teyla who told them about the wraith. Teyla's pendent drove the wraith there. And then he was on the wraith ship searching for survivors. He finally found them but went to look for Colonel Sumner. He found him already aged by the touch of the wraith. He had to kill him. He had no choice but spare him the pain. Sheppard closed his eyes for he was seeing that every time he went to sleep (looking and asking himself could he have saved him but now he was sort of at peace so this memory did not bother him much).

The ship faded only to be replaced with the next sequence. His worst enemy in the galaxy has taken hold of the city – Acastus Kolya. He had killed two guards and threatened to kill Rodney and Elizabeth. Sheppard took the matters into his own hands. As the city was close to be wiped by a giant wave he made his moves and saved everyone. Then it went to another time when he met Kolya again. They were trying to retrieve a ZPM but failed. Then Kolya captured him and made to Atlantis a demand for jumpers but Elizabeth refused and Kolya let a wraith feed on him. But the whole thing backfired on the genii. Then in a village where Lucius Lavin was playing the villagers, Kolya appeared again and Sheppard shot him thinking he was done with him. Unfortunately, Kolya reappeared again on New Lantea and he had to deal with him again. But this time he did care of him. He wasn't going to come back again. The quest of vengeance is complete but the experience was the most unpleasant one.

The last sight of Kolya vanished to be replaced by the beautifully seductive Larrin. The woman he could safely say was his match. She was beautiful, smart and quite dangerous. She had kidnapped him, and then threatened to kick him off in space unless he helped her. Of course, he did nothing of the kind. He tried to escape but ran into wraith and had to save her. And he did but she captured him again. But afterwards they did work together on many occasions.

Larrin vanished and Sheppard went back in time when they discovered two shuttle pods. They contained dying members of two races that were enemies. Elizabeth became then (temporarily host of one them) and he too. That was a very unpleasant experience too as his consciousness; his essence was pushed deep while the other was controlling his body. That individual almost got killed and himself alongside. The feeling of total helplessness was not lost upon him.

Then he appeared in the ascension zone where he became trapped. He had crossed a time dilation field. He stayed there about six months (zone's time) and was starting to think that his people might not come. And in the same time, he was fighting something that nearly killed him several times.

Then he was in a forest and fighting the half wraith girl. She injured him and several days later he started to turn into wraith himself. But he emerged alright for his friends and colleagues did not give up on him when he had almost given up himself.

Then all shifted to a forest planet with lovely colors as probably autumn had come. Sheppard was at the lead, followed by Rodney, Teyla and Ronon. Somewhere behind was Crichton starring at the beauty of the surrounding environment. Ten wraiths appeared out of woods. A battle ensued but they were losing and badly and then out of nowhere two figures wrapped in dark green robes appeared. They were hooded and bore bows. The arrows that flew struck down the wraith so quickly that he had barely seen them taking them out. Sheppard was relieved as he was about to be sucked dry (well the wraith was getting to the point but an arrow took away his chance) but his smile faded quickly as the bows turned into their direction.

Everything faded away. He was in a space suit floating freely in space – totally alone. There was nothing but the stars on the background. His ship was in shambles though he wasn't in danger of one of those pieces hitting him. His air was running out. He was soon going to pass away. Help wasn't coming. He felt alone just as he was when he was propelled 48 thousand years into the future and with the help of McKay's hologram managed to return back to his time. But this time there was no one to help him out. And then hope crept into his spirit. A strange looking shuttle appeared near him and in it was the most beautiful woman. Her hair was shinning like the sun on a bright day. Her glimmering green eyes met his. She smiled and beamed him on board. He was in heavens but his heaven. It was his woman, his life and heart. How he knew that he did not know. Sheppard shook his head and the question popped up – who was that woman – but he had no answer. Maybe he was seeing into the future or was it simply a possibility – there was no answer.

* * *

As the image was fading he noticed a strange distortion in the space ahead. The Silver Star was peering from the other side. Sheppard turned around and said: "Follow me! Grab each other's hands and after me!"

The others as though waking up from a dream obeyed. Each grabbed the hand of the person before him and behind him. The group entered into the distortion and found themselves into a place only one Ancient has ever reached – Janis.

Janis was right about this place. They were so amazed and stunned that to be honest with you words can hardly describe the place (though I shall certainly try). Among all the stars in space, they were standing between so many torrents and currents that can hardly give even an approximate number. Maybe it's like being in the ocean but instead of vast blue field you see only the beds with the flowing rivers, torrents and currents crossing each other forming a complex web of a tunnel like system or even better a giant labyrinth. And in each current you see 'the faces of countless people and creatures like embers into the fire that pass and go', just as Janis had described it (though this only gives you an idea of the grandeur and massiveness of the sight they were seeing).

Then as they crossed one of the torrents, it took the whole space of space itself and began shifting, fading and shuffling all kinds of images before Rodney realized they were crossing incredulously fast between the different realities or dimensions of the torrent. This realization made them believe that each of the torrents might be a universe in itself.

They continued crossing from one torrent into the next following the Silver Star. And the same experience continued to happen every single time until they reached the Silver Star that grew bigger and bigger as a portal, which Sheppard ventured even without a second thought.

The group found themselves into a large and spacious room. In the center pending from the ceiling was a sort of chandelier. It was in shinning crystal or diamond and its beauty unchallenged. Under it on the floor laid engraved four stars, the outlines of each shinning in silvery light.

Sheppard somehow knew what to do though he wasn't sure how.

"Mitchell, step into that one." – Sheppard pointed and Mitchell perplexed obeyed. "Commander into this one." – Sheppard gestured to the one opposite of Mitchell. Crichton obeyed though just as puzzled as Mitchell. "And Rodney, you and I into the other two."

"Do you have any idea what's the purpose?" – Rodney inquired.

"No, but we're going to find out." – Sheppard shrugged.

Rodney stepped a bit reluctantly into the star shape and the moment he did the shining outlines faded but the four felt stuck and as though rooted to the floor (and part of it). Light appeared under their feet and started climbing their bodies. They felt their bodies' sort of dissolving, no transforming and combining with the light. They tried to move out of the star shapes but unsuccessfully for they had no longer bodies they have become light and they had no control of it.

The light reached the chandelier and its beauty became all dark, pitch black. All the light in the room vanished. It was even darker than pitch black darkness. Then slowly, without warning, tiny lights appeared right where the chandelier was. As it appeared it weren't small lights but one. And it grew and grew until it reached the size of a small ball. Then it exploded. The explosion illuminated the whole room for a split moment.

What was left of the explosion now looked like a very intensely lit mass without form that was expanding, at first slowly then with more speed until it formed another formless mass. And then another and another, and as the others understood they were witnessing the creation of the universe (or at least the way they thought of it).

Thus they saw the formation of countless galaxies with billion layers not only of subspace but of realities, dimensions and planes. The sight to anyone would be staggering and to them was just as stunning. The grandeur of the universe had no limit (and this is a concept the humans and most of all the other species have a great difficulty with).

The universe was formed now. Billions of galaxies floated in the room, their light illuminating their faces. The chandelier reappeared and under it the four men – Mitchell, Rodney, Crichton and Sheppard.

"Wow! That's a hell of a thing." – Mitchell exclaimed.

"Come to agree with you!" – Sheppard said. "Rodney?"

"I'm fine." – Rodney replied. "This was amazing. But there are no words for it…"

"Especially for a scientist." – Crichton completed his pattern of thoughts.

"Why are we here? And what are we looking for?" – Rodney asked.

"We are looking for the next clue of course, if there is any." – Mitchell said.

In answer to Mitchell, a galaxy group enlarged itself just near them. It was the Local Group of galaxies – Milky Way, Andromeda and Triangulum. A dark spot appeared in the Milky Way. And Mitchell recognized it immediately. It was the fatal planet for SG-1 – P99-999. Then the local group doubled, tripled, quadrupled and so on into so many layers that it became totally shocking and just as big as the universe itself. But those were the different dimensions, planes and realities within the local group. The dark spot seemed to be present everywhere (everywhere – well no – not everywhere). There was only one place where the spot wasn't present. And shockingly enough it was in a place that was very familiar for Crichton – his own reality.

The local group then vanished only to be replaced by a new one. This one they had never visited. It was further than they have ever reached (some four hundred million light years away). Rodney tried to remember its configuration so he can find it later. He had the distinct feeling they will have to go there. And he was right. Out of that local group, a galaxy enlarged. It was a cat eye galaxy. The galaxy then showed it in the reality of Crichton. From it, a solar system came into view. It had sixteen planets and the twelfth planet grew larger. A silvery dot appeared near the North Pole and as they understood it was the place they had to go. From there the dot zoomed and crossed into another reality and as they understood an alternate reality and back to their local group. But the dot was not in the Milky Way, it was at Andromeda. And as they saw the shape of the local group was very different.

"This is in the future." – Rodney noticed.

"How far into the future?" – Sheppard inquired.

"Oh, I'm not sure but I'll say somewhere between a thousand and ten thousand years." – Rodney answered.

At the image of a planetary system in the Andromeda appeared two different sets of writings and as they assumed logically they were names but the letters were unknown. The planetary system was quite unusual though. It had one star, only one planet and one moon. And it appeared cut off from the rest of the galaxy as though it was an entirely separate entity.

A sign of freedom appeared and they understood it. They had somehow to free the entire solar system out of its bubble. This task was to say the least close to impossible (but then again if they'd thought their quest will be an easy one they were certainly mistaken).

The Andromeda galaxy moved aside to make place for the Pegasus and back into their own reality. It showed them a solar system. It contained the largest amount of planets they've ever thought possible in the Pegasus – twenty four. On the sixteenth, the silver dot pointed towards the equator and for their biggest help it provided the star address.

"I guess this is our first stop." – Sheppard remarked.

"Why?" – Rodney asked.

"I think that would be because it showed the sequence of where we have to go backwards." – Crichton replied instead of Sheppard who nodded.

"Yes, I think so too." – Mitchell said. "First we have to visit this planet. Then reach in Crichton's reality and go to that galaxy. From there we will appear into the future of Andromeda galaxy and then back to Crichton's where I guess everything will come to an end."

"Yeah, that sums it up!" – Sheppard concluded.

And as he said it everything went dark. As the light reappeared they blinked unbelievingly. They were in the puddle jumper floating in space and before them New Lantea. They were back home.

* * *

**A/N2: Just a point – the temple of the Axis is much larger and vast in its wonders and our heroes had the pleasure of seeing a tiny part of it. But more of the temple will be seen in a later chapter. **

**And don't forget to review. It only takes a couple of minutes.**

**Lordheaven **


	13. Silver Arrow

**A/N1: Hi again! I'm sorry for the very long delay but I'm sure you understand that sometimes it is inevitable (I've been quite busy and had no time to devote to writing the story). Hopefully, I'll be able to update again in a week or two. In the meantime - Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: ****The characters of Stargate belong to MGM. The characters of Farscape belong to Jim Henson Productions.**

**Chapter 13**

**Silver Arrow**

It was a beautiful morning on New Lantea. The air was fresher like never before, the sky clean, the sun warmth welcoming. It was a promise of a really good day.

In orbit, the massive shadow of the Leviathan was still attracting attention and shuttles as small as bees to a hive were flying in and out bringing in supplies or happy tourists. People found this ship to be extraordinary and wanted to learn more about it. And Pilot was gladly abiding as for him was just as interesting.

The usual morning briefing at Atlantis however took place not in the base but on the Leviathan as acknowledgement to the guests of Atlantis. Richard Woolsey was pleasantly surprised being on board this ship (it was his first time since its arrival for it is quite different from the inside of a wraith hive and much more pleasant).

In the middle of the room, a display of the galaxy was showing a planet, the one on which later on the team led by Sheppard was going to go. The information regarding this planet was obtained on the team's last mission to Memorial. The planet was on the list of gate addresses the team had never visited. But they had to go for it was closely connected to the new mission they'd all accepted (and though the Sheppard was the official leader of the team everyone knew that Mitchell had the con as it was his mission).

Sheppard and Mitchell had agreed to Commander Crichton's proposal to reach the planet not via the gate but with Moya (the leviathan). It would be a chance for her to actually do something, as Crichton had put it. Moya preferred to explore and given it had the chance of being in another galaxy it was not something she wanted to miss. And the other point as Crichton put it would be that the team will have the chance to experience what starburst feels like. And new experiences were something that the team did strive for.

Richard Woolsey was to say the least stunned when they debriefed him on the mission to Memorial. The information they provided regarding Mitchell's ongoing mission was an opportunity few commanders could dream of: the prospect of a team going to explore not only other realities in hope of finding solution to their problems but also of visiting another totally unexplored galaxy (actually the galaxies being two and in two different realities – one alternate and parallel in time to theirs and another alternate but set into the future). And this was what made him more open than usual and he approved the mission without any of his usual retorts or references to 'by the book' rules.

The total travel for Moya reaching the planet had been estimated at twelve hours, which was still quite impressive though Crichton was indeed surprised. He explained to the others that for whatever reason this estimation was far better than the usual capability of Moya. For some reason, she could move faster into the Pegasus but all this was quite welcomed. Not to mention that the address of the planet was relatively close to New Lantea.

The ship was fully supplied with food and all other little but necessary things and was ready to depart. Woolsey wished the team good luck and left aboard a puddle jumper.

"For our new guests, prepare for starburst, people." – Pilot informed.

Woolsey being outside noticed that the tentacles, as he called them, retracted and a light built up from the tail. The light slowly encompassed the ship illuminating it and a small window like a tunnel of stars appeared just as big as to let the ship, through which Moya a second later vanished.

The Atlantis team felt very odd and just like in any kind of star travel the stars became lines as the ship entered into starburst. But the sensation, as I said, was indeed strange. They kind of felt the living matter enter between the stars and it was something that they have not experienced while travelling into hyperspace not even with the wraith hives who were also organic.

"In time, you get used to it." – Crichton said perfectly well noticing how they felt. "The first time is always strange."

"As is any new experience." – Mitchell observed.

"True." – Crichton agreed with a smile.

The two of them were getting quite well along. They were so different yet they had so much in common and even more than he could imagine.

* * *

Twelve hours later, Moya emerged from starburst in orbit of a planet, probably M class, with sapphire blue oceans and lush green continents (numbered four). In the distance they spotted the star of the system, which seemed to be an abnormally large yellow sun, perhaps even bigger than Earth's sun and some of the other fifteen planets that preceded this one, which held the sixteenth slot.

"Pilot, prepare a transport pod." – Crichton asked Pilot.

"The transport's already ready for you, Commander." – Pilot said at once.

"Shall we?" – Crichton turned to the others.

The group reached the transport pod and Crichton stood at the helm. The pod left Moya and headed down towards the equator where they were supposed to go. This time, however, Rygel and Chiana were going to stay aboard so to the surface went only Crichton and the Atlantis guests. Five minutes later, the pod reached the surface and landed in a dense forest.

The sight of this environment was probably not so different from most worlds they had all visited but as a matter of fact there was something about this place – a sense, a different sense about this place. It is the kind of thing that can't be explained for it is a feeling, an odd feeling growing inside a person, who makes him aware of some force that presides in the surroundings and it is a feeling that can't simply be cast aside and taken for something normal or usual.

The indicated destination of the team presided some one mile inside the forest so the team geared up and headed in that direction. It would have been great if they could land in that exact spot but the forest was too dense making it impossible so reluctantly they (a.k.a. Rodney) had to walk.

The forest as they noticed was indeed amazing as at first its appearance was that of summer – the trees full of color – the greenest of the green, the air fresh of the trees sweet aroma, their branches heavy but happy and the bark full of life.

Sheppard soon located a path, perhaps especially made for crossing the forest. They followed it for nearly one hour passing by different kinds and breeds of trees – some big, other enormous and some small but all full of life, of colors pleasant for the eye.

And then just as suddenly, the shade of colors changed. It was like they had crossed from one realm into another. The forest now was of lovely colors as though autumn had just come – red, orange and gold intertwined in ways that make the human shiver from the mightiness of the creator – nature.

Sheppard was at the lead, followed closely by Rodney, then Teyla and Ronon. Somewhere behind Crichton trailed off, starring at the beauty of the surrounding environment. Without any warning or sign, ten wraiths emerged from behind the trees.

Sheppard reacted instinctively, firing his gun. He managed to put two down but a third came close to him knocking aside his weapon. On the other side, Ronon and Teyla were fighting side by side as much as they could but the wraiths overpowered them quickly. Rodney has sought cover the moment they appeared but helped his friends nonetheless as he shot two of them just before they managed to strike at Ronon and Teyla. Crichton and Mitchell also had their hands full but they managed quite well on their own.

But they were losing the battle as more wraiths had come and it turned ugly. And then suddenly out of nowhere, as Sheppard noticed while making everything possible to resist the wraith that had one intention in his mind, two figures wrapped in dark green robes appeared. They were hooded and bore bows. The arrows that flew struck down the wraiths so quickly that he had barely seen them taking them out. Sheppard was relieved as he was about to be sucked dry (well the wraith was getting to the point but an arrow took away his chance) but his smile faded quickly as the bows turned into their direction.

Ronon, Teyla, Mitchell and Crichton were indeed surprised by the sudden appearance of the hooded figures but quickly got themselves into reaching for their guns. They did not have this chance however as the arrows flew so quickly that shove the weapons away from them. After this, the four did not make another attempt of reaching them. It was perfectly clear they would be dead before even thinking about it.

"We come in peace." – Sheppard moved forward his hands in the air but stopped at once as he saw the bow-string pitching. The situation was bad, very bad and Sheppard could not see what would help them now. But then a voice spoke in an unknown language. Sheppard turned around and looked at Rodney stupefied.

"Ellentia An' Dame vervau. Vir Atlant nest on'amen."

"Vis Atlant?" – One of the hooded figures turned to Rodney, the bow still in position.

"Ya, Vir Atlant. Neh nest on'amen. Vent sales a vu damina nocte." – Rodney replied totally shocking his team mates. "Veil Mortis und hales een Gallean."

The hooded figures lowered their bows. "In Vis Atlant, can'en zi! Vir bet und tanare."

"Let's go!" – Rodney said with a smile.

"Rodney?" – Sheppard frowned.

"We have to follow them. They'll take us where we have to go. Trust me!"

Mitchell reached for Sheppard. "We don't have a choice." – He whispered to him.

Crichton shrugged at this sudden change of circumstances and followed Rodney without further questions, Ronon and Teyla too. Sheppard was a bit apprehensive just as Mitchell was.

"You reckon this sounds familiar?" – Sheppard turned to Mitchell.

"Yes, very. He speaks in the exactly the same language as Vala did." – Mitchell nodded. "We have to be careful."

"I agree with you but obviously we don't have a choice."

The hooded figures marched quickly and noiselessly so the team had to put up a high pace in order to keep up. The forest became denser but fuller of color and of life. The diversity of trees and bushes was indeed incredible but soon retreated to only one kind – very massive trees with large trunks, grey bark and silver leaves. The branches were so enormous that they were enough to support the weight of a human.

The branches then divided from the trunks but in such complex system that formed floor like flatness. On the flat floor like surface were visible constructions, most probably hovels built of light but enduring material with twigs covering them up as roof. Reaching this hovels' city was only possible by the silvery glimmering ropes, which the two hooded figures climbed up quickly.

The rest of the team saw no other choice but to follow their hosts. Sheppard was first and he had to admit that climbing up these ropes was a curious sensation. The rope itself was very soft and yet durable and climbing it proved much easier than he anticipated. He reached the upper level where their hosts were waiting. Crichton came after him, then Mitchell, Rodney for Sheppard's surprise, Teyla and Ronon.

"Tenin tanare!" – One of the hooded figures said and gestured.

"This way!" – Rodney interpreted at once.

"I got that part, Rodney." – Sheppard said but followed the invitation. He still had to find out how Rodney knew their language.

Their hosts led them up the enormous tree. The stairs were actually again the enormous branches that encompassed the trunk of the tree and led them in a spiral up. Climbing up wasn't tough but they had to take one break before reaching the top level. After all they weren't used climbing them.

* * *

They entered into a throne room with green and golden light on a similar flat floor through whose center passed the enormous trunk of the tree. On the right side of the entrance were placed two thrones of oak wood. One of the thrones stood higher than the other one. On the higher throne a woman in white linen dress stood. Her beautiful golden hair fell freely on her shoulders. The age of this woman was not easy to determine and though she looked fairly young there was a feeling that she was much older. And only in her eyes could the years really be seen. Her green eyes lingered for a moment on which of them and only Rodney managed to withstand her gaze as the others looked down almost immediately.

On the second throne just 'an inch' lower than the woman's stood another woman. She was dressed in a grey robe and was a miniature copy of the lady sitting above. The team logically concluded that she must be the woman's daughter. Her hair was silvery blond but shinned like the sun on a bright day. And her eyes, her eyes were also green but not dark. They were a shade of bright green with a hue of gold but more like sun gold than only gold.

And the moment Sheppard laid his eyes on her he stood rooted on the spot. His thoughts raced back to a week before when he was in the Temple of the Axis where he had numerous visions. In one of the visions he was rescued by the very same woman standing before him. There could be no mistake in that. Sheppard had put a lot of thoughts regarding this event and the feelings he had but had come up with nothing. And now he was standing before the woman of his vision. But he had to admit that even the vision paled before the real thing.

But he knew that vision or no vision he was now smitten above reason and no power or object was more powerfully attractive than the woman before him. His heart was racing fast in his ribs and his eyes were glowing. The mystic power of the sight of this woman has already put a spell in his heart. He was hers now. He belonged to her. He had never thought he would find anyone to whom he would give his heart and to be honest he never really looked. But now, she had him. He couldn't explain it to himself how but these things happen on their own. He knew that the vision had showed him an event that has not happened yet but the feelings he had felt were real. It was a paradox, which some called a parallax – the result of an action that has not yet occurred. But the vision only directed him to her. And he was happy it did.

Sheppard, of course, did not show his feelings on the outside. He remained still but his eyes were saying it all (for those that know how to read these signs).

The young lady, for she was a lady, was also looking for him. She knew he was coming. And then he entered first. Her eyes fell on him and she felt a strange surge passing through her body. He had finally heard and answered her call. He was just as she imagined him – not very tall but handsome with steady face and gentle eyes with adamant look in them. And he saw her and his eyes told her everything. She was now happy but did not show her happiness just like him, which made her even happier. He was the one.

"ACan'en a ant Aridis Castri!" – The woman on the higher throne spoke. Her voice was melodic and deep.

"Welcome to Aridis Castri!" – Rodney interpreted again. "I think it translates as something like the fortress of the Dragon."

"Dragon?" – Mitchell looked up.

"Yeah, dragon, as breathing fire and…"

"Rodney!" – Sheppard cut in.

"Sorry…I think this the name of the city in which we are."

"Well, thank them for the hospitality and for saving our lives." – Sheppard said.

"Oh, yeah…" – Rodney said and turned to the queen as he was dubbing her. "Congili a vis ospitulum und vis neh on'omun miht vir feliel."

The woman, or the queen as Rodney calls her, looked down at him with surprise. She was told that one of them speaks their ancient tongue but she was truly surprised as to how well he spoke it (and well she was not the only one).

"Vir aht natis aht Numoris!"

"We are the people of the Forest!" – Rodney translated to his team mates.

"I think she meant the children of the Forest, Rodney." – Sheppard said and surprised even himself. The others looked at him also very surprised.

"It could be…" – Rodney trailed off still shocked. "But how did you…?"

"I don't know." – Sheppard replied truthfully still surprised of his interpretation. Although it was not that much interpretation than mere instinct though he knew not how he came by it.

"Veht unt all'een meht velcare." – The young lady turned to the queen.

"What did she say?" – Teyla inquired.

"Uh, she said – he will know you as though he was born among you." – Rodney replied at once.

"So few words to express something so short." – Mitchell said stunned.

"Well, their language is complex at times and not so much other times." – Rodney explained.

"Which comes to the point how you know that language?" – Mitchell turned to him.

"Well, I don't know. I just do." – Rodney shrugged.

"Curious."

"Dr. McKay learnt our language at the Gardens of Even while at the temple of the Axis." – A soft voice said. And if the others had not seen the young lady's lips move they wouldn't have known who had spoken.

"So you understand us?" – Ronon exclaimed.

"Yes, we do. We have learnt it long ago."

"But to welcome us in their home as the tradition dictates they have to speak in their language." – Everyone looked around and stared again, this time at Sheppard who had spoken. "What? It is logical, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is." – Rodney nodded.

"We have come to…" – Sheppard started and before he had realized it he continued in the ancient tongue much to his team mates' surprise. "…on'amen a mirht damina nocta ferul as'ar ant vesti'ili Gallean lumis art vigilis Mortis."

Rodney's jaw had fallen straight down as he was watching totally dumbstruck Sheppard and much the same way were the rest of the team.

"Mis an'anana, mer. Veht unt all'een meht velcare." – The young lady exclaimed.

"Fasuh." – The queen agreed. "Vis neh on'amin Atlanta aht damina nocta."

"Thank you!" – Sheppard said but he saw his friends' expressions. "What?"

"Did you actually realize that you just spoke in the ancient tongue?" – Rodney asked him.

"What?" – Sheppard looked confused.

"Yeah, you did." – Rodney confirmed.

"I did?"

"Yeah."

"But I…how?"

"Beats me!" – Rodney exclaimed with a sarcastic smile.

And the answer came back to Sheppard. His memories drifted back in time when he was on a mission in the African desert, Sahara. At the time, he was a lieutenant. The details of the mission were a bit sketchy but he clearly remembered that he was lost and there was no chance he would survive but then he had woken in an oasis and there was food near him. He never could explain how this had happened since his last memories were that he fell totally exhausted as the deadly desert storm hit.

But now the blurry vision came back to him. He was semi conscious as a figure dressed all in black was carrying him. Then in the distance he saw the oasis but lost consciousness again. When he regained a bit again – he was at the oasis. The black figure was standing above him and this time he heard the words.

"_John Sheppard, a destiny lies before your feet and though it rests in a tunnel next to all, you will go there. And when you reach the first stop and you hear the voice of the forest your destiny will catch up with you._

_Veht__ unt all'een meht velcare – he will know you as though he was born among you. Veht allia solemn a fie se e – he will guide you to paths lost and unseen. Veht tall'ar farrit a vas Mortis – he will become the voice and will of Mortis. Veht allian fie a nur qu'er nast ol'amen e vint sallen Horrifis Timeris, protectis naturee via farrit Mortis und Gallean! – He will help those to rediscover their lineage as Dread Knights – keepers of peace and justice by the will of Mortis and Gallean."_

He drifted away from the oasis and returned to the throne room. Did it happen then – then when his destiny was prophesized? He did not have the answer but it seemed the most likely answer. _"Vir alleen ind natis numoris – you will go the Children of the Forest. Vir siik Silvae, the hiiera aht Numoris – you will seek Silvae, the daughter of the Forest. She will help you through the path you have to walk. Good luck, John Sheppard."_ And the figure vanished. Sheppard opened his eyes though he did not remember when he had closed them.

He made the few steps towards the young lady, knelt down and spoke.

"Silvae, hiiera aht Numoris – on'amin mir und Atlants aint damina nocta fed'in Collosso a tir Altera."

The queen stood speechless. The Atlantean knew exactly what to say and whom to turn to or maybe he didn't but his instinct was showing him the right path, the right direction.

"Silvae!" – The queen turned to the young lady. "Go with him and carry with you the blessing of Gallean and Mortis."

"Thank you mother." – Silvae said.

"We will only need the arrow." – Sheppard said turning to the queen then he froze. He had no idea why had he said this though he knew somehow it was the right thing to say.

"The arrow?" – Crichton said perplexed. "What arrow?"

"The Silver Arrow." – Silvae replied instead. "Yes, we will need it. Mother?"

"Yes, I'll give you the map but seek it alone you must." – The queen said. "But for now you all need your rest. And tomorrow you shall go to retrieve it."

"Thank you!" – Sheppard said and bowed. "Time to go!"

The others still stood rooted and totally confused. If the sudden ability of Rodney to speak this language had shocked nothing had prepared them for the total stun of Sheppard speaking it too. But they understood that the audience with the queen had come to an end and thus they followed Sheppard back down the stairs.

The Nemoreans had prepared two hovels for them. The hovels were bigger than they thought and had enough space. One of the hovels was for the women and the other for the men.

As soon as they settled into the hovel, Mitchell attacked Sheppard with dozen of questions starting with his knowledge of the language of these people. Sheppard told them the story that he had suddenly remembered and as far he remembered it. Mitchell stood still afterwards for quite some time contemplating upon his words.

"So you're predestined?"

"Well, to be perfectly honest with you, I don't know what to think. And I wouldn't use that word." – Sheppard said. He did not like the idea of being predestined for something like this but it seemed to be the only logical conclusion. "Besides most of the time, I don't even have the slightest idea how I did it. I simply did it."

"Yeah, more or less like McKay. You two just like that started speaking some unknown language like you were born with it." – Mitchell observed. "Unlike Vala…"

And here Mitchell trailed off but Sheppard understood. This subject was painful for Mitchell.

"And this Silver Arrow – what the hell is that?"

"Well, it is a Silver arrow. You know bow – arrow."

"Yeah, I got it but what is it for?"

"Well, I'm not really sure." – Sheppard shrugged. "But I have the feeling I'll need it."

"Great – you know it feels like sailing into the total unknown with a sheer stroke of the genius…"

"Of the Ancients and their cryptic ways." – Sheppard completed his sentence. "Yeah, I know. It does."

"Isn't that what we are doing right now?" – Crichton cut in.

"Yeah it is." – Mitchell agreed and smiled. "It is."

* * *

The next morning, the team was ready to leave the city of the Nemoreans. They were going to be escorted by honorary guard and Silvae, the daughter of the queen. And though the team did not need someone to guard them they couldn't refuse otherwise they might offend their hosts.

The guard was the same which escorted them yesterday to the city. With great surprise it was when they learnt that the guardians were young women just slightly above twenty years old. They were again in dark green robes, which as the team learnt and saw is a perfect camouflage. And to be honest, they had hardly seen any other guards into the city unless they were moving, which was to tell them how good these clothes were. On the other hand, Silvae was again in greyish robes with silver tassels. She bore a man height bow made of some unknown wooden material and strengthened with a silver string. The bow was accompanied by forty long arrows.

"Are we ready?" – Teyla asked as they gathered before the gates, which yesterday they did not notice.

"Yes, we are." – The soft voice of Silvae confirmed. She and the guards turned around towards the city raising their left hands to their chest and bowing, before exiting through the gates.

Silvae led the group north through the forest. They were going as she explained to the mountain caves where the arrow was located.

It was clear that the forest had a few more surprises for its visitors. The northern side as per legend or request was all in white, puffy snow and here and there adorned frosted trees looked more like crystal statues than living trees. But in all this the sheer beauty of the forest had no competition.

The path took them out of the forest at the foot of the mountains' ridges where the entrances of the ancient caves lied. Silvae led them inside.

The caves weren't that big or spacey but the front of the cave they entered in was special and they quickly understood why. Right before their eyes was a small frozen lake. In its middle on a pedestal was the silver arrow. It was in frame of silvery metal standing suspended in mid air. The arrow itself was no more than five centimetres long. It was attached to a chain.

Crichton was looking at it with stupor. He moved toward it but the moment he set foot onto the frozen surface he was thrown backwards. Sprouts like a golden net appeared around the lake borders.

"You can't take it that way." – Silvae said.

"Thanks for the warning." – Crichton grunted rubbing his numb arms.

"She's right!" – Sheppard said then turned to the others. "You will all stay here while I…"

"You're not thinking about going on alone, are you?" – Teyla interrupted.

"I'm sorry I have to."

"What is this? Some hero nonsense?" – Rodney shot.

"No. It is the way it has to be. I have to retrieve it alone." – Sheppard answered.

"No, you won't for we are coming with you." – Rodney countered.

"No one is coming with me." – Sheppard said with surprisingly adamant voice. "That's an order."

"To hell with your orders. We are not going to let you brave it on your own." – Rodney disagreed.

"You don't have a choice." – Sheppard said and pointed his gun at Rodney's chest.

"What the heck is wrong with you?' – Rodney said stepping backwards. Crichton and Ronon moved towards McKay but Sheppard quickly took defensive position and they understood he wasn't making any kind of jokes.

"I'm going alone." – Sheppard said. "And no one is following me otherwise I'll shoot you myself. And trust me it'll be preferable compared to what will happen if you do."

"Only one can retrieve the arrow." – Silvae interjected. "He must follow his destiny."

"Destiny? What are you talking about?" – Rodney exclaimed.

"His path differs from yours, Dr. McKay. He must follow it wherever it leads. It is said that the arrow shall deliver itself only to its true master. Many have tried and many have failed; for the true master has never come." – Silvae explained.

"Oh!" – Rodney exclaimed. "But how do you know that John is the one?"

"I don't but I do believe he has a destiny and it is calling upon him." – Silvae answered.

Rodney sighed defeated. It seemed that it was one of these strange situations in which even words are useless. What one had to do, he simply had to.

"Well, good luck." – Rodney wished.

"Thanks Rodney!" – Sheppard said a bit taken aback by the sudden change of heart. "Oh and one more thing – do not attempt to take the arrow again. Something tells me the golden net is not the only defence."

"We'll keep this into mind." – Crichton said thoughtfully. "Good luck."

* * *

Sheppard nodded, turned around and ventured further into the caves. The path that lay before him he followed purely by gut instinct. He never really liked the idea of neither future predestined nor the idea that he was doing whatever he was doing by the design of someone else (that was evolving as he went). But there was definitely something going on for he was acting unlike him. But then again something deep in him was telling him that he was about to discover a part of himself he never knew. Maybe some things are predestined to happen at some point. Maybe not in every reality but in some reality they are meant to be. The only thing he did not enjoy was the puzzles, the mystery around it. Why these things are never clear? Why has it to be so complicated?

"_He shall see the path no one can find."_ - Suddenly these words formed in Sheppard's head. He had no idea where they came from.

"Stop this!" – Sheppard said aloud trying to cast away this unknown influence. "I make my own choices. I make my own destiny."

He was not directing these words at anyone in particular but was shooting them into the void of the universe – a cosmic call. He was hoping that they will be received and understood. One has to make his choice independently otherwise it was not worth; otherwise it was not a life of your own to live.

The path he was following curved and swirled at times but nothing even indicated where it was going to lead him. By now he was for sure far away from his colleagues but then again with all the zigzags he could be very close. He had lost totally the sense of direction in these cave corridors. And it was then when the path grew larger as it came to a halt. Before him lay a terrain full of crystal formations unlike anything he had really seen. It looked like a meadow but instead of grass there were crystals as tiny and narrow as real blades of grass. And they looked as alive, just as real grass would. As he looked there was a pulse that was crossing the field giving the distinct feeling of wind.

The field of crystal grass was going as far as his eyes could see. But as there was no other path he had to go through it. Although he did not fancy the idea as he remembered the last time he encountered crystal formations things turned quite badly.

"Great." – Sheppard grunted. But as he made his first steps he suddenly remembered the words that had formed in his mind just a few minutes ago - _He shall see the path no one can find_. And asked himself – is it really true or is it my imagination. But there was no answer.

The moment however he had made just a few steps further he had a bad feeling. He suddenly had no desire to continue further so he turned around only to find that the aperture through which he came was gone. He was standing in the middle of the field and as far as the eye could see there was only the field.

"What the…?" – Sheppard exclaimed. It was certain now that he must be hallucinating for this defied any logic or the other possibility was that this was a very elaborate illusion. But either way was making no sense. And to add more thrills the only light in this place was produced by the faint glow of the crystal grass all around him.

Sheppard stopped to gather his thoughts for he was now confused and disoriented. Usually when one is lost one tends to look for a sign to guide him but here there were no signs. He couldn't go back because he did not know where back was.

He was lost, completely lost and was starting to feel helpless, which was something he did not enjoy at all (I mean who would). He thought he knew what he was getting himself into as he knew that he alone had to find the Silver Arrow but it seems that the answer was as always not so easy. Nothing is easy. Every single moment of our existence we have to prove ourselves not only to others but most of all to us.

Sheppard shook his head trying to get rid of those thoughts. He came here to find the Silver Arrow; no he was here to take it for it'd help him into the crazy quest he himself got involved into. And as he remembered he volunteered for it. Crazy – sometimes people do such things – diving in without even thinking.

'If there is a way in there is certainly a way out.' – Sheppard told himself. This axiom worked every time so why not now.

He started walking trying to keep the direction he came through but he was due for a bad surprise. He had walked more than ten minutes by which time he should have already be in the zigzagging corridors but he wasn't. He was still in the crystal field so he turned around and walked again for the same amount of time – reaching his previous starting point.

He then continued forward. He walked for nearly an hour but nothing around has actually changed. He seemed to be walking forward but he soon realized he was moving aimlessly throughout the vast field. So now for sure he was even more lost than he was in the beginning.

This realization crushed his enthusiasm even further. He had no idea what to do. His brain was trying to make sense of the situation he got himself into but was coming up with no answer.

After trying several different directions – at some he was walking, at some he was running and in others he was sprinting, he sat down exhausted or should we say worn out not only physically but spiritually as well.

He never thought he would fall in such situation where he would be completely worn out and totally helpless. In all such situations that he was before something always helped him. It was like that into the temple of the Axis but there he had the strange starlight to rely on but here there was no guide – nothing.

Nothing was making sense. He came to find the arrow and instead he got himself lost.

'No' – Sheppard shook his head, a sudden ray of enlightenment hitting him. He didn't come here to find the arrow for the arrow was already here. He came to take possession of the arrow for the arrow as the legend goes can be taken only by its master, by its true master.

'Many have tried and many have failed' – Silvae had said. 'For the true master has never come.' But why did she believe it was him? Why? And then – the true master – how could an artefact know whether someone is the master or isn't?

These were the questions that Sheppard was trying now to make sense of but nothing gave him the answers he was seeking. This situation was defying logic on all levels.

'All? All levels? – Maybe not all levels.' – Sheppard told himself. It was true he had not considered all possible solutions. His thoughts trailed off towards Arthur Conan Doyle and his fictional character Sherlock Holmes. Doyle wrote that when Holmes is faced with an impossible situation he starts to think outside the box and Holmes' favourite line then becomes – 'when you eliminate the impossible whatever remains however improbable must be the truth.'

Why have many failed to acquire the arrow? Have they also come to the place he was in right now? And if so, if they have failed what happened to them? Did they just come out and said to dear friends – well we failed or something else happened to them? Did they die out after spending an entire lifetime looking for a way out in this place where there is no way out? And if so, it could mean that their bones lie around or their ashes or maybe nothing is left of those that tried. But then what happened to them? Why did they not find the way out since logically they came in? What was answer of the unsolved mystery?

Yes, the unsolved mystery in a place of almost utter darkness, where the only light is some faint glow. Yes, the only light….

'The only light.' – Sheppard exclaimed jumping to his feet as a sudden illumination hit him. 'The only light here is the faint glow, a faint glow coming from the crystal grass that in the surrounding darkness bears…" – Sheppard did not finish his sentence for he was absorbing the light around him. "Of course…why didn't I see it before? It is right before my eyes. The answer has been right before my eyes all this time."

The light, he thought, the light in the surrounding darkness is silvering. But was this really the answer? Sheppard thoughts went even further for he was feeling that this was only one part of the answer. But was the other? What was he missing?

A silver light - "Of course…" – Sheppard frowned. "What remains is the arrow. But is it the arrow, which is standing at the entrance of the cave or is it something else?" His thoughts were racing, again trying to assimilate this illumination he had.

"I have a silver light but no arrow." – Sheppard repeated aloud to make sure he's making sense now.

'_He shall see the path no one can find_.' – He continued his thoughts. "He shall see…" – He trailed off again. "To see the path one needs light. And…." – Sheppard froze. The revelation that came to his mind was brutal. "Is it really that simple?" – He shot the question into the darkness.

He had the answer all along. "_He shall see the path no one can find_. In utter darkness no one can find a way out. But then there is the silver glow and what you miss is the arrow. The arrow is giving the direction or should it be said the arrow is the direction. Was it really that simple?"

Sheppard calmed himself for he had at last understood, well maybe not everything but he understood the essential. He understood the meaning and now he was feeling much more complete than he have ever felt before for the answer to the mystery was unbelievably easy and simple.

He concentrated directing the silvery glow towards the exit, to the way out, which as always is the way in.

* * *

At the entrance of the labyrinth, Sheppard's colleagues were waiting for nearly ten hours and there was still no Sheppard. They started really worrying. Ronon even tried contacting him by the radio but there was no signal, no Sheppard.

And then without any warning the casing around the silver arrow vanished as did the arrow itself. Instead a doorway appeared through which Sheppard stepped in. But they quickly noticed that there is something different about their friend.

It was a tiny sparkle in his eyes that constituted the very difference from the Sheppard that left and the Sheppard that came back. For John Sheppard found the truth and the revelation came to him when he asked himself the most important set of questions – Did the others before him see the silver light? And if they did why is the silver arrow still at the entrance? And then the answers he was looking for – if the others did not see the silver glow then the silver glow came with him, no not with him - the glow came with the arrow. And if the glow came with him then he was the Arrow.

And he finally understood it – he finally has found the part in himself he was missing – he was the Silver Arrow, the person that can see the path others can not. It was a moment of pure revelation and enlightenment that gives a person, literally, wings and enriches him.

It was never about finding the object – silver arrow it was about finding himself – rediscovering himself, giving a new meaning to his life, for which he was grateful.

* * *

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**Lordheaven **


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